Danish esports team Ecstatic has announced Gamban, a gambling-blocking software, as its new sponsor. This marks the first time an esports team has partnered with a gambling prevention group, rather than a gambling company.
Co-owner Oliver “zipeL” Behrensdorff said that his history of problem gambling influenced the decision to team up with Gamban.
Gambling sponsorship continues to dominate in esports. Image Credit: Mina Rad/Unsplash
“This is personal for me,” said Behrensdorff. “I’ve had periods of problem gambling myself, and installing Gamban was my first step toward change. We’re not here to high-road anyone. We’re here to offer a lifeline to those who need one.”
Partnership Aims To Support Problem Gamblers
In a press release, the company said it hopes the move will raise awareness of problem gambling for those who need it.
The partnership stated it intends to do the following:
“1. Launch a community Discord hub offering anonymous peer groups, expert talks, and practical tools for anyone looking to pause or stop gambling.
- Make help easy and stigma-free, especially for young fans who feel out of place in traditional support groups.
- Prove that non-gambling sponsors can thrive in esports, unlocking this hard-to-reach demographic for mainstream brands, and inspiring other industries to invest in the space.”
Other esports players have gone public about their gambling problems. Fellow Scandinavian Tommy “Taiga” Le revealed that he fought gambling addiction during his time as an esports player.
Ecstatic note that taking money from gambling companies is the norm, but hopes the unprecedented move to partner up with a harm prevention group will inspire others.
“For ten years, Gamban has helped people block access to gambling on their devices and begin their recovery,” said Matt Zarb-Cousin a co-founder of Gamban. “Partnering with a team that rejects gambling sponsorship entirely is a powerful first step. We hope this inspires others to invest in esports without exploiting addiction.”
Gambling operators sponsor more than 80% of the top 50 CS2 teams. Taiga’s former team, OG, said it was targeting betting sponsors recently due to financial troubles.
The trend applies to other sports as well. In soccer, two-thirds of clubs across 31 major European leagues still carry betting sponsors.
Some leagues, however, have placed restrictions on sponsorships. The Netherlands banned gambling advertising across all sports earlier this year. Gamban has an existing partnership with the Dutch regulator, the KSA.
Additionally, Italy and Spain prohibit soccer teams from displaying gambling companies on the front of their shirts. The Premier League in England has also voted for a front-of-shirt ban from next season.
“While gambling money pours in, no sponsorships until now have put player welfare first,” said Ecstatic.