The new sponsorship deal between the gambling site kansino (previously known as Batavia) and football club AZ has caused some fuss at the ChristenUnie Alkmaar. The political party has asked the deal to the Mayor and Aldermen's College.
Morally reprehensible
Earlier this week it was announced that the online gambling platform KansiFast payoutwill be the new main sponsor of Eredivisie club AZ. The contract between the two parties will be valid for four seasons, but the ChristenUnie Alkmaar is now trying to stop this. The party has requested disapproval of the agreement from the mayor and aldermen.
ChristenUnie Councilor Ronald van Veen has spoken about why the party cannot find the sponsor deal:
“It is clear to us that AZ is legally doing nothing wrong. We do find it morally reprehensible to have a football club sponsored by a sector that causes so much social misery.
Families are torn apart, very large debts arise and even homelessness and the use of calming agents are sometimes the result of a "game" that got out of hand. "
The temptations of the gambling world
It is therefore clear that the ChristenUnie finds it reprehensible that vulnerable groups, such as a minor, might now come into with the temptations that the gambling world entails. According to Van Veen, the appearance of the "tough football players" of the club could also ensure that minors start gambling at a younger age.
The councilor of the ChristenUnie further indicates that there are already enough gambling addicts in the municipality:
“The municipality comes into with gambling addicts every day. Via the WMO, benefits and police and the judiciary we see the bad consequences of this addiction returning to the taxpayer's plate, not to mention the social misery that this creates. ”
Sponsorships between football clubs and gambling companies
Van Veen therefore not only demands that the Mayor and Aldermen College show its disapproval of the AZ sponsorship deal, but in addition that the municipality of Alkmaar has to hand in the Skybox of AZ immediately. The last requirement of the ChristenUnie councilor is that the municipality obliges the football club to point out its fans to the risks that gambling and gambling addiction entail.
The sponsorship of football clubs by a company from the gambling sector is a trend that does not seem to come to an end for the time being. This week it was announced that both Fortuna Sittard and ADO Den Haag have gone into the sea with a gambling company and main sponsor.
In the coming season, Fortuna Sittard will play with sponsorship of BetCity on the shirt. It online Casino Previously you could see on the sleeve of the shirts, but now gets more prominent place on the front. On the ADO Den Haag shirt, a logo of the physical casiFast payoutchain Hommerson CasiFast payoutwill be put in the new season.