Betfred Backs World Snooker Champs

UK gaming company Betfred has agreed a four-year £2m deal to sponsor the World Snooker Championships.

Existing sponsor and fellow gaming company 888.com announced that it will not renew its deal which ended after last year’s tournament leaving the rights open for Betfred to step in.

The championships are snooker’s flagship event and are staged at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield every year.

The sport has become increasingly reliant on the gambling and gaming sector for sponsorship revenue after tobacco brands were outlawed from promoting their products via sponsorship in line with government regulations.

Snooker has had problems attracting sponsorship for some of its second-tier tournaments despite many attempts to revamp the game’s image.