Virgin Bet’s TNT Europa League deal symbolic of UK sponsorship shift

Virgin Bet has partnered with TNT Sports to sponsor its coverage of the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League in the UK and Ireland for the 2025/26 season.

The agreement, which runs from September 2025 through May 2026, sees Virgin Bet branding appear across TNT Sports’ linear channels, digital platforms, and out-of-home advertising, including pubs across the country. 

The move represents the LiveScore Group-owned bookmaker’s first major step into football, building on its existing presence in horse racing via various race sponsorship.

Dominic Vye, Marketing Director at Virgin Bet, said: “Partnering with TNT Sports gives us an incredible platform to put Virgin Bet in front of football fans during some of the biggest nights in European football, while reinforcing our commitment to delivering a standout customer experience and an extensive product offering.

“It’s an exciting step forward for the brand and a big part of our plans to keep growing in the UK and delivering the best experience we can for our customers.”

The 2025/26 Europa and Conference League seasons kicks off in late September, with all matches available live on TNT Sports and streaming on discovery+.

Mike Rich, Group SVP Ad-Sales and Brand Partnerships at Warner Bros. Discovery, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Virgin Bet as a sponsor of our exclusive UEFA Europa and Conference League coverage. 

“Partnerships such as this enable us to enhance that storytelling experience even further and we look forward to working closely with Virgin Bet throughout what promises to be another exciting European campaign.”

TNT building up betting links

Earlier in 2025, BoyleSports also partnered with TNT Sports to support Premier League coverage, highlighting a trend of bookmakers using media channels to maintain visibility. 

The partnership included branding across broadcasts and highlight shows, offering an alternative to traditional shirt sponsorships.

BoyleSports’ media strategy coincides with its £100m UK expansion, including new retail outlets and football club collaborations. 

This partnership also came ahead of the Premier League’s planned ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships, set for the 2026/27 season.

An increase in operators striking deals with TNT Sports may suggest that bookmakers are exploring new ways to reach audiences. 

Podcasts are also becoming an increasingly popular means of fan engagement, with various examples of bookmakers sponsoring existing popular podcasts – Sky Bet, BoyleSports and SBK being some notable examples.

“It’s not just about slapping your logo on the video creative,” SBK’s Marketing Director, Adam Bayliss, told SBC News shortly after the company partnered with Premier Sports’ Scottish Football Social Club podcast.

“It’s about having an integrated way in which to get your product messaging across so fans can engage with it and derive some value.”

A changing sponsorship landscape

With the aforementioned restrictions on traditional football sponsorships approaching, media partnerships are becoming an important channel for bookmakers. Collaborating with broadcasters allows operators to maintain visibility while staying compliant with upcoming regulations.

For broadcasters such as TNT Sports, these arrangements provide commercial revenue and enable the integration of betting content in a more regulated and controlled manner, whilst still enhancing fan engagement.