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Villa have agreed to a partnership with
Asia-based online betting firm BK8 until the end of the 2025-26
campaign, when Premier League clubs will withdraw gambling
sponsorships from the front of their matchday shirts.
Norwich City cancelled a sponsorship deal with BK8 in 2021 after
three days following a backlash from supporters over its
sexualised marketing material involving young women.
"Though we acknowledge the commercial reality, we sadly feel the
club has failed to listen to the legitimate concerns of fans
about the role of gambling sponsorship in sports," AVST said in
a statement.
"The BK8 agreement is a cynical last-minute attempt to scoop the
financial gains ahead of the voluntary ban on front-of-shirt
gambling sponsors.
"While we understand fans, players and club staff alike want
Villa to be as successful as possible, that should not come at
the expense of exposing fans to the exploitative practices of
gambling operators, especially during a cost-of-living crisis."
BK8 will make a contribution to a local charity in Birmingham
for every sale of Villa's third kit, the club said in a
statement announcing the partnership.
"The move comes off the back of BK8's previous work over the
past two years, working with charities and programmes involving
mental health awareness, and this initiative is the first of
what will be a number of collaborations with the club," Villa
added.
AVST said they welcomed the funding but added "it should not
come at the expense of others".
The supporters' club added it had highlighted the social and
mental harms caused by gambling addiction and expressed concerns
about BK8's "misogynistic" marketing practices in a joint
statement with Villa fan groups in January.
"At the time, we were given assurances of the club's due
diligence process and advised that the misogynistic practices
were that of a BK8 affiliate," AVST said.
Reuters has contacted Aston Villa and BK8 for comment.
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Hyderabad; Editing by Jan
Harvey)
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