Cricket Australia has reportedly turned down an offer from a betting company to sponsor the Big Bash League (BBL).
Under criticism for taking sponsorships from gaming companies and partnering with alcohol brands, Cricket Australia CEO Kevin Roberts said the BBL sponsorship offer from an unnamed gambling company didn’t fit with the domestic Twenty20 competition.
Roberts told SEN Radio, “That is something we won’t do because it’s fun, family entertainment.”
As reported by the Australian Associated Press, Roberts suggested that sponsorship of the BBL was separate from wider commercial links with betting platforms. “There’s two very separate points here,” he said. “The integrity of the game, it’s all about keeping the game clean. And, on the other hand, very separately, we have a commercial arrangement in the sports betting space in Australia.
“I would note that we’re very conservative in that space. We need to honor that at this point in time. But in terms of our future commercial strategy, we’re going to be reflecting on the sponsorship categories and the markets where we want to do more, where we want to maintain our position and in some cases where we want to do less.”
Asked when Cricket Australia would review its sponsorship with Bet365, Roberts said, “When the time is right.”
