Enhancing media sport consumption: online gambling in european football

Abstract

This article explores the intersections between sports bodies, media companies and gambling industries in European football. While betting, communication and sport have maintained an ongoing relationship for over two centuries, this article argues that the digitalisation of betting platforms has reconfigured the links between the traditional actors and created a new ‘online football betting ecology’. We elaborate on the intricate relationships of betting sites with top European football institutions via sponsorship, and on the role of the media, influencers and celebrities in the promotion of betting companies. An upbeat interpretation of this scenario stresses the enhancement of the act of consumption for football fans, transcending their traditional passive role as spectators. However, a more pessimistic vision points out that the economic dominance of the online gambling industry influences the way football competitions are run and endangers the integrity of the sport.