VBET has further enhanced its branding in the Ukrainian market, signing a partnership with the Ukrainian Ice Hockey Federation (FHU).

The collaboration – which includes title sponsorship of the Ukrainian national ice hockey team – builds on the firm’s ongoing marketing activities, including Ukraine-focused partnerships with both the Ukrainian Premier League (UPL) and the Ukrainian Football Cup, commencing with the 2021/22 season.

The Armenian sports betting and online casino operator, part of the BetConstruct group, first secured licence approval to enter the Ukrainian market on May 31, 2021, receiving the green light from the Ukrainian Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (UCRGL).

“Everyone dreams of working with our country’s main ice hockey team, and our company is no exception,” said Anton Svitlychnyi, Head of Partnerships at VBET. “We are delighted to announce VBET’s partnership with the Ukrainian national team. 

“Moreover, as our partnership begins we present our collaborative video starring key players of the national team. We hope that with the new partnership, great victories and new challenges are waiting for our team.”

Additionally, the operator cooperates with UPL teams FC Vorskla Poltava and FC Oleksandriya, AS Monaco of France’s Ligue One, Portsmouth FC of the English Football League’s (EFL) third-tier League One and The Alliance esports team.

Furthermore, football content platform OneFootball signed a partnership with the bookmaker and online casino provider, with a focus on boosting the operator’s profile in the Brazilian market.

Both VBET and the FHU have noted the significance of cooperation with the national team for both marketing and branding purposes, as well as to boost the popularity of ice hockey.

The partners have outlined a shared goal to ‘restore ice hockey’s status as one of the most popular sports in Ukraine’ by attracting younger demographics to it as well as retaining and inspiring current fans of the sport.

“With our new partner VBET we are determined to make a new brand of the Ukrainian national ice hockey team,” said Heorhii Zubko, President of the Ukrainian Ice Hockey Federation. “We have plenty of ideas just waiting for their time. I think this partnership will bring us quite high results.”