Prominent football franchise Bengaluru FC announced on October 3 (Monday) that it has signed a two-year deal with Parimatch News. The news portal is a surrogate of betting and gambling website Pari Match which is illegal in India.

The partnership will see Parimatch News have naming rights on the back of players’ jerseys, through to the 2023-24 Indian Super League season. Notably, the announcement comes on the day when the Central Government issued advisories for media outlets to refrain from showing the advertisements of online offshore betting platforms.

“We’re really glad to partner with Parimatch News because their brand’s vision aligns with promoting the sport in India, especially football. As a club, we’re really looking forward to this association, and all the possibilities it opens up in terms of taking football to our supporters and the masses,” said Bengaluru FC CEO, Mandar Tamhane.

Bengaluru FC has a good record in the ISL as they were crowned champions in the 2018-19 edition a year after finishing runner-up in their debut season. They are the current champions of the Durand Cup after defeating Mumbai City FC in the final in Kolkata.

“We are proud to associate with Bengaluru FC. For Parimatch News, this is another step along the road of building a relationship with the ISL brand, to enable the growth of the sport in the country. We are confident this partnership will bring rewards to both parties, and also help us widen our reach in Indian football,” said Parimatch News CCO, Dmitry Belianin.

As mentioned above, the Central Government on October 3 (Monday) issued advisories to digital publishers, OTT platforms, and private satellite television channels, asking them to refrain from publishing advertisements of online betting platforms. It will be interesting to see what turn this partnership will now take in light of the latest advisories.