Sportingbet signs up with the Brisbane Broncos

Hard on the heels of media reports that Betfair and Wests Tigers had signed a sponsorship and mutual cooperation marketing deal comes the news that UK Internet gambling group Sportingbet's Australian branch has formed a partnership with the Brisbane Broncos.

Sportingbet will be a major sponsor in an exclusive deal with the Broncos, a National Rugby League team in the land Downunder.

Unlike some other NRL franchises, including the Gold Coast, who will earn a percentage of betting revenue in a deal struck with Ezybet, the Broncos' arrangement is a straight sponsorship agreement, reports Fox Sports.

"There has been some conjecture over this type of sponsorship and it is a sensitive area," Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen said. "But we have kept this deal very simple. This is a straight sponsorship agreement between two businesses. There is no revenue sharing.

"They pay us for the right to have signage and the like, and any new sponsor is welcome particularly in this difficult financial time."

Sportingbet Australia chief executive Michael Sullivan said his company was excited to enter a sponsorship deal with the Broncos. "We have always wanted to put money back into the sports we bet on and this is another great opportunity to do so," Sullivan said.

Premiers Manly has also announced a deal with Darwin-based online gambling group Centrebet, and North Queensland is tipped to follow suit before the end of the week after the club underwent internal investigations to determine whether the deal would be harmful to its community image.

Earlier this month, Newcastle and Cronulla agreed in principle to a deal with Ezybet while several other Sydney-based clubs - including South Sydney - are poised to follow their example.

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