1xBet has signed a sponsorship deal with the ATP Challenger Tour as part of the company’s wider efforts to promote its brand in new and mature regulated markets.

The global betting firm, registered in Cyprus and active across various markets from Europe to Africa to Asia, has been embarking on an extensive campaign of sports sponsorship lately.

Its deal as an official betting partner of the ATP Challenger Tour will enable the firm to use the tournament’s logo in its marketing campaigns and will see its branding feature on tournament courts.

The geographic scope of the partnership is also wide, covering 36 different markets via tournaments held in Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, the US, Italy and France.

“Obtaining the status of an official partner of 36 ATP Challenger Tour tennis tournaments is another milestone in 1xBet history,” said a 1xBet representative.

“This agreement is a strategically important step that opens up new opportunities to showcase our brand on a global stage.”

Trust in sponsorships

1xBet is no stranger to sports sponsorships, and tennis seems to have become a focal point for the company in recent months, having struck a deal to become partner of the Billie Jean King Cup in April, in a deal lasting until next year.

Outside of tennis it is an active sponsor across various other sports, including football via deals with Spain’s FC Barcelona, France’s Paris Saint-Germain and the Italian Serie A top-flight, while deals are also in place with Volleyball World and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

Simon Westbury, a Strategic Advisory for the company, has previously commented1x on the significance of sports sponsorships as a means of building up trust between sports fans and bettors and the companies they engage with.

“Strategic sports partnerships, when done right, are a powerful handshake between brand ambition and fan trust,” he said. “And in our experience, that’s where the magic happens.”

This may be particularly significant for 1xBet as it embarks on a mission of building up its brand in regulated markets, having come up against some controversies during its operating history. This mission is being backed up with research and reports into the global regulatory landscape.

Celebrating the firm’s new partnership on LinkedIn, Westbury said that the partnership “strengthens our commitment to working with the leading brands in the sports and entertainment sector”.

ATP Tour – an ace partner for bookies?

Meanwhile, the partnership marks a continuation of the ATP Tour’s engagement with the betting sector over recent years. It was only in 2020 that the organisation lifted a long-held ban on sponsorship deals with betting firms.

In the years since it has signed sponsorships between several of its tournaments and betting companies, with UK-based Betway a particularly active partner.

Recent months have seen calls from some of its athletes for bookmakers to do more to prevent betting-related athlete abuse, however, and 1xBet may find itself hearing these calls for responsibility.

An ATP Challenger Tour representative commented: “We are proud to partner with 1xBet, whose reputation and contribution to the sport perfectly align with our mission to organize tennis tournaments of the highest level.”