Image by Igor Ovsyannykov from Pixabay
Anyone watching rugby cannot fail to have noticed how much gambling there seems to be in the game these days. Gambling and rugby appear to be developing hand in hand. Rugby is at the very heart of the country’s DNA, involving everyone from kids playing in the park to professional matches and the legendary All Blacks, who are famous around the globe and the team every international side dreams of defeating.
Gambling is also part of New Zealand culture. A recent report reveals that four-fifths of the population gamble in some form or another, from lottery, pokies and sports betting to live and online casinos. Technically, the Gambling Act prohibits remote interactive gambling, but this law only applies to sites within New Zealand. Therefore, anyone searching for pokies, other online casino games, or sports betting sites can legally play on any of the overseas websites accessible from within the country.
Given the popularity of gambling and rugby, it should come as no surprise to anyone to see betting companies becoming more visible in sports. It is hard to watch a game or go to a match without seeing some form of sponsorship from a gambling company. It has almost become so commonplace that we do not even notice it. However, it gets people talking and gambling. There are extensive online communities of people who share their experiences and tips through reviews and forums. So, while they bring money into the game, are there other benefits for rugby, or is it primarily one-way traffic to the benefit of the sponsors?
The gambling companies are falling over themselves to sponsor Kiwi rugby teams, including international big-name organizations from the US, UK and Europe. These guys know of the New Zealand twin love of rugby and gambling, and they want a slice of the action. For the rugby clubs, it is all about the bottom line. Sponsorship deals bring in the money to allow the team to increase their prowess and maybe climb up the league. Without sponsorship, they could find themselves backsliding.
Sponsorship money funds better players and the best coaches, as well as improved training facilities and new amenities. Extra cash allows teams to hire top-notch sports scientists, psychologists and dieticians. These all go into creating the next generation of the All Blacks squad or helping the team become the next National Provincial Champions or holders of The Rundle Cup. The cash gambling can inject into rugby can go a long way.
For the fans, and for fans who love gambling, the sponsorship can make the whole experience way more exciting. Rather than just passively cheering on their home side, having bets across different teams can suddenly make all the matches much more interesting. Someone with a bet on an alternative team can suddenly find themselves interested in a side they may not have followed before. This could then push up viewing or attendance figures and allow that squad to demand more sponsorship money in the future.
If there is more money in the game, it inevitably leads to wealthier players at the top who might splash their cash on fast cars and designer clothes and accessories. This all leads to increased economic activity and, in theory, grows the economy. However, this does rely on the theory that trickle-down economics works rather than money just being hoarded for a rainy day or the pleasure of having an enormous bank balance. The main criticism is that it exacerbates inequality in general, and this can also be the case in professional sports.
While the higher echelons of New Zealand’s rugby world attract generous sponsorship deals, many smaller sides, grassroots and youth teams struggle to have adequate funds. Sport New Zealand dedicates a good deal of web space for clubs to learn about fundraising and sponsorship. They remind clubs that sponsorship is a partnership; it is not just about what the sponsor can bring to the team but also what the team can offer the sponsor.
With the best will in the world, it would not be appropriate for an international or even local gambling company to sponsor a youth team. That could only be regarded as predatory behaviour. Sponsorship is always two-way and many people are critical of sponsorships that appear to allow the brand to make itself look good by association with the sport. This can also be known as “sportswashing”.
Sponsors and the bodies receiving the money have to be careful to avoid controversy. The All Blacks have recently been criticized for their sponsorship deal from AIG which was accused of being involved in corruption with three pension funds in America. There have been claims of labour exploitation at Addidas, controversy over Nike’s disrespectful treatment of Allyson Felix, and petroleum giant Ineos have been accused of both greenwashing and sports washing.
Around the world, activists are rising up to object to greenwashing, with the UK’s Science Museum targeted by climate activists who are enraged at the petroleum company Shell’s ongoing sponsorship of the museum. In the USA, the Guggenheim was forced to remove the Sackler name from its Centre for Arts Education when protestors drew attention to the source of the family’s wealth and its links with Purdue Pharma, which was held responsible for the country’s Oxycontin crisis.
Gambling’s involvement in rugby and sponsorship is much more straightforward in comparison. There is a reason gambling companies would want to be involved in sports. Not because it makes them look better but because it connects them with an audience who will want to use their services. For now, at least, it appears to be a win-win sponsorship arrangement.
