Napoleon and GAMING1 extend Belgian football deals ahead of ban
Superbet-owned operator and Circus brand pen partnerships with RSC Anderlecht and Standard Liège, respectively, ahead of 2028 blanket ban
Napoleon Sports & Casino and GAMING1 brand Circus have extended respective Belgian football sponsorships ahead of regulatory shifts in the market.
Napoleon, which is owned by Romanian operator Superbet, has renewed its existing partnership with RSC Anderlecht. The operator and club penned a deal last summer which saw Napoleon afforded in-stadia and shirt sleeve advertising rights.
Circus has recommitted to partnering with Standard Liège, with the pair having worked together for the past six years.
Under the remit of both deals, Napoleon and Circus will be afforded front-of-shirt branding space on the respective partners’ kits for the first six months of the deals.
Then, in January 2025, according with new regulations in the market, the duo’s branding will shift to the back of each side’s jerseys.
As part of Belgium’s gambling marketing ban, ads in stadiums will be outlawed from 1 January 2025 while from 1 January 2028, operators will no longer be able to sponsor sports teams.
Both partnerships are due to run until the conclusion of the 2026-27 season.
Emmanuel Mewissen, GAMING1 CEO, said: “Renewing our partnership with Standard Liège is a source of great emotion for us at Circus. It is with both pride and a touch of nostalgia that we will be partners in this great adventure for a final chapter after six years.
“Supporting this iconic club and vibrating with its players and supporters fills us with pride. This partnership brings together sports enthusiasts and unites us all around essential values such as performance, team spirit and fun, fundamental values at Circus.”
Philippe Joos, Napoleon GM, added: “As a Belgian company, we are particularly proud of our involvement in Belgian football.
“We look back with satisfaction on the first year of partnership with RSC Anderlecht and look forward to further cooperation that focuses on responsible sports experience.
“RSC Anderlecht and Napoleon not only cherish the passionate love for entertainment, excitement and unforgettable moments, but also the ambition to be the biggest, with an eye for local roots.”