Austria: Online gambling monopolist win2day launches sports sponsorship

Austrian online gambling platform win2day is getting into sports sponsorship. The first contractual partner is said to be the national ICE Hockey League, the highest division in Austrian ice hockey. As the umbrella company Austrian Lotteries announced yesterday, the sponsoring activities of its online platform are to be extended to many other sports.

The online gaming provider win2day is the joint subsidiary of Austrian Lotteries and Casinos Austria AG. The platform was originally founded back in 1998 under the name webclub.at. To date, win2day is the only legal platform for online gambling in Austria, which provides online casino games for real money. However, its monopoly position has repeatedly been met with criticism. In particular, the Austrian Betting and Gambling Association (OVWG) speaks out against the gambling monopoly. Only at the end of January, the association filed a complaint with the EU Commission.

Which clubs or leagues are to be included in the sponsorship in the future, the company would announce "shortly". However, these are "far-reaching plans" with a "comprehensive package" of different sports. The new sponsorship would be accompanied by a partnership with LAOLA1, a brand of the global sports media group Sportradar.

International recognition for Austria's ice hockey

The first sponsorship with the renamed "win2day ICE Hockey League" had initially been agreed for the next three seasons until 2024/25. As Georg Wawer, the managing director of win2day, explains, it was "quickly and clearly obvious" that ice hockey would be the ideal choice as the first sponsored sport. After all, Austria is a winter sports nation.

The ICE Hockey League is also pleased to have been chosen as the first sponsoring partner. Managing Director Christian Feichtinger comments:

"It is very pleasing that win2day has selected a larger, strategic overall sports sponsorship package. The entry of such a well-known brand will invigorate the Austrian sports market. With this strong and innovative partner, we will be able to push our league project further."

The ICE Hockey League already extends beyond Austria's borders, Feichtinger added. Thanks to the partnership with win2day, the internationality could grow further.

Cooperation with Play Fair Code

In its press release, Austrian Lotteries also points out win2day's membership in Play Fair Code. Founded in 2012, the association is committed to fighting betting fraud and match fixing in order to protect the integrity of sports.

As a member of the association, win2day is committed to the integrity preservation rulebook, he said. In addition, the gambling platform will promote not only its own products but also Play Fair Code through its new sponsorship on the advertising space provided. The hashtag "#NoManipulation" will be used for this.

The association welcomes the extra commitment of the online gaming platform 

and its partners in the face billerr.in. Managing Director Severin Moritzer comments on having found an "important sports betting provider as a member" in win2day.