More than 20,000 people sign petition calling for Everton to ditch Stake.com
Online operator faces the ire of football fans as Everton reneges on its previous anti-gambling sponsorship stance
The recently signed sponsorship agreement, which will see Stake.com afforded front-of-shirt branding, as well as advertising at Goodison Park and the Finch Farm training ground, has been criticised by sections of the club’s fanbase.
The new deal, which is a record for the Merseyside club, comes after CEO Denise Barrett-Baxendale previously said the club would move away from gambling sponsorships.
In fact, Everton called time on the sponsorship with Kenyan operator SportPesa in 2020, three years into a five-year deal.
Following a strategic review of commercial operations led by Barrett-Baxendale, the club decided to ditch the gambling firm in favour of online car retailer Cazoo.
At a club AGM in 2020, Barrett-Baxendale said that “in an ideal world” they would prefer a “different type of sponsor” than a gambling company.
However, following a series of economic difficulties, with the club losing £372m over the last three seasons, it has returned to partner with a gambling business.
Stake.com has been criticised by some, namely for its partnership with Canadian artist Drake, in which the rapper streams himself playing online slots for millions of dollars.
The crypto casino holds a Curaçao licence and operates in the UK via a white label agreement with Isle of Man-based TGP Europe.
The petition was established by Everton season ticket holder Ben Melvin, who has previously suffered with gambling addiction.
He said: “The partnership does not sit right with the club’s motto, the standards the club sets off the pitch and the fantastic work done by the club’s Everton In The Community in tackling mental health issues.
“I didn’t anticipate the petition to get to the level it has, and I realise Everton may not change their decision, but I want them to know how many people have signed it and understand how some fans feel,” he added.