bwin and RSC Anderlecht sign digital partnership

25 July 2013

bwin and RSC Anderlecht join forces in new digital partnership

bwin.party and RSC Anderlecht have today announced a new partnership which sees the bwin brand become the official online gaming and betting partner of Belgium's most successful club.

The three-year partnership with the Belgian Pro League Champions, will significantly enhance the profile of the bwin brand in Belgium, where the company is regulated and licenced, and reinforces bwin's position as Europe's leading sports betting brand in football.

The sponsorship package positions bwin at the centre of the promotional activities of Belgium's 32-time champions and includes a series of fan-based initiatives, integration into RSC Anderlecht's digital and social platforms, as well as the development of on and off-line co-branding activities, stadium branding and access to players for marketing campaigns.

With the new digital partnership, RSC Anderlecht becomes the latest member of Europe's football royalty to join forces with bwin, a group of partners which already includes Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and FC Bayern These sponsorships allow bwin to offer its customers unparalleled football experiences, which in past year have included the opportunity for fans to; play at Old Trafford; go backstage at the Bernabéu; and fly with the FC Bayern squad to a Champions League fixture.

The new digital partnership reflects an evolution in bwin.party's sponsorship strategy to focus on social media and social gaming, online and mobile integration, as well as exploiting the Group's extensive content and media rights catalogue. Ahead of the 2013-14 season bwin expects to unveil an additional partner, with details to be announced in the coming weeks.

To celebrate today's announcement, bwin has created a special prize draw, which offers fans the opportunity to win two season tickets to all of RSC Anderlecht's home games for the 2013-14 season. To take part, all fans need to do is place a €5 bet that RSC Anderlecht will complete the Belgian Pro League and cup double in 2013-14.

Welcoming the deal, Norbert Teufelberger, bwin.party's CEO said:

"RSC Anderlecht are a great addition to our elite club of European football partners which already includes the champions of England, Italy, Germany and Europe as well as Spain's most decorated club. We are proud to partner with a club which shares our values of dedication and professionalism as well as a total passion for football. We look forward to contributing to RSC Anderlecht's success both on and off the field over the next few years."

RSC Anderlecht President Roger VandenStock added:

"The fact that bwin identifies with RSCA is a great honor for the club. bwin is often associated with prestigious top football clubs. We can line up with giants like Juventus, Manchester United, FC Bayern and Real Madrid. bwin is more than a partner. The partnership is innovative. So for instance we will collaborate to feed the digital platform of RSCA with specific bwin programs, which will be enjoyed by our loyal fans." 

About bwin:

bwin.party digital entertainment plc (LSE: BPTY), the global online gaming company was formed from the merger of bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and PartyGaming Plc on 31 March 2011. Incorporated, licensed and regulated in Gibraltar, the Group also has licences in Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein in Germany. With offices in Europe, India, Israel and the US, the Group generated total pro forma revenue in 2012 of €801.6m and pro forma Clean EBITDA of €164.9m. bwin.party commands leading market positions in each of its four key product verticals: sports betting, poker, casino and bingo with some of the world's biggest online gaming brands including bwin, PartyPoker, PartyCasino and Foxy Bingo.

In addition to RSCA, bwin's sponsorship portfolio includes digital partnerships with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayern Munchen and Juventus as well as sponsorships of MotoGP and of basketball, through our long-standing relationships with Euroleague and FIBA, the world governing body.

The Group's scale, technology and strong portfolio of games collectively differentiate its customer offer from those of its competitors. bwin.party is a constituent member of the FTSE 250 Index and the FTSE4Good Index Series, which identifies companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards. For more information about bwin.party, visit: www.bwinparty.com.