British gambling firm William Hill is set to be announced as the new title sponsor of the Scottish Professional Football League.
According to reports, the league has been looking for a new main sponsor to replace the online car retailer Cinch. Last year, it announced it was ending its deal.
William Hill is rumoured to be paying around £2Million a year over the next five seasons. This will be an increase of around £400,000 compared to what Cinch were paying.
Consequently, Hill’s deal of £10m is set to be the biggest ever in Scottish football history. Previously, the London-based company was a sponsor of the Scottish Cup.
They were also the official in-stadium betting partner of current Scottish champion Celtic in 2022. The new deal comes after the Premier League announced a ban of gambling sponsors on the front of shirts from the 2026/27 campaign.
William Hill SPFL Sponsor
The William Hill SPFL sponsor will provide a huge boost to clubs in Scotland. It is also understood that teams have already agreed to the deal in principle.
Cinch actually signed a five-year deal in 2021 but exercised their right to walk away after three years. The reason for this was due to a legal dispute between the SPFL and Rangers.
Promoting the title sponsor was something that the Ibrox side were not willing to do. Nonetheless, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster suggested on the weekend that a new deal was in place.
“Cinch are coming out of the contract this summer and I am optimistic that we will have a replacement sponsor for the start of the new season,” he explained.
Naturally, not everybody is excited about the news of the new sponsorship. The Scottish Greens called on the SPFL to reject the offer from Hills.
Spokesman Gillian Mackay MSP believes it’s a “disappointing announcement” owing to the risks of problem gambling throughout the UK.
Nonetheless, Hill’s deal is on the verge of completion which will provide a much-needed financial boost to the Scottish league.
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