Sports icons are powerful agents of change in the gaming and entertainment industries. Their influence can be harnessed for good – promoting responsible gaming, supporting youth, and building trust – if clubs, operators, and regulators work together.
The panel discussion, “The Influence of Sports Icons in Gaming & Entertainment”, moderated by Lasha Machavariani (Founder of SMH Global), brought together voices from across the gaming, sports, and media spectrum: Zurab Magalashvili (Adjarabet), Dr. Matthias Kirschenhofer (Former Co-CEO, Sport1 Medien GmbH), Simon Westbury (1xBet), and Italian football icon Alessandro Nesta.
From the outset, the panelists agreed: sports icons are more than just faces for brands. They are cultural touchstones, capable of shaping attitudes and behaviors far beyond the pitch or the screen. Zurab Magalashvili, representing Adjarabet, set the tone by reflecting on the company’s long-standing partnerships with athletes.
“From the very beginning, Adjarabet has been heavily intersected and invested with sportsmen and athletes,” Margvelashvili explained. “This relationship, in some cases lasting decades, enabled us to create brands and platforms that can have a big impact in a small country like Georgia.”
But with that impact comes a weighty responsibility. “Communicating using those platforms in a responsible way is really important, because even one small message from these sports athletes can have quite a big impact.”
The conversation soon turned to the regulatory landscape, with Dr. Matthias Kirschenhofer offering insights from Germany’s journey from state monopoly to a regulated, competitive market. He drew a parallel with the evolution of the media industry, recalling:
“Thirty years ago, there was a big discussion about liberalizing the media market. Now, private media is well-regulated and a big economic factor. The iGaming industry should follow the same path to become a normal part of the entertainment industry.”
Kirschenhofer highlighted the unique approach in Germany, where advertising is permitted for licensed operators, but with strict rules. “If you are a white market participant in Germany, you can do a lot of advertisement. It’s an ideal situation to create cooperation with football clubs and media,” he said.
For Simon Westbury of 1xBet, the conversation was as much about trust as it was about visibility. “I always talk about the three P’s: the power of our people, the power of the products, and the power of the brand,” he said. “The brand gains power through global visibility with clubs like FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain FC, but we’ve diversified outside of football into basketball, volleyball, and esports.”
Westbury emphasized that these partnerships are not just about exposure. “When you drill down into what that brings in player protection, what it brings is trust in the brand from our players and customers. We’re heavily engaged with regulators, driving discussions on player protection and regulation.”
Alessandro Nesta, a legend of Italian football, brought a personal and heartfelt perspective to the discussion. For Nesta, the influx of betting money into football is a double-edged sword. “Every league needs money to have big names and players. Betting money is welcome because it makes football healthy,” he admitted.
“But our responsibility is to make this sport credible. We can’t bet as players. We have to talk with the younger generation. We are an inspiration for them.”
He also called on clubs to take their responsibilities seriously: “If you put a betting sponsor on your jersey, you have to do something. You have to talk with the people, organize something. Big clubs have more responsibility to talk with the people, and the communication has to be different.”
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