Everton to end its sponsorship with Sportpesa

Everton Football Club have announced will end its partnership agreement with SportPesa at the end of the current season.

The gaming brand, which has been Everton's main partner since 2017, has agreed to the termination of its contract.

The agreement was reached following a comprehensive review by the Club of its commercial strategy in line with its vision and future growth plans.

 "This has been a difficult decision but one that allows us to best deliver on our commercial plan and to grasp the new opportunities now open to us," a club spokesperson said.

“The Club would like to thank SportPesa for all of the work that has been done together. Our partnership has seen our first team visit Africa on two occasions, as well as former players and Club staff take part in numerous activations in the region. This has allowed us to grow our own footprint in Africa and further strengthen our special relationship with the continent.”

Everton will now appoint a new main partner ahead of the start of the 2020/21 season.

Sportpesa became the main partner of the nine-time English champions in 2017.

In September last year, SportPesa announced a move to halt its operations in Kenya.

The firm said it would resume operations when Kenya puts in place "adequate taxation and non-hostile regulatory environment."

The move came after the government's decision to impose a 20 per cent tax on all betting stakes, a move that the firms have cited as damaging on both their customers and treasury.

"Sportpesa is disappointed with the decision by the Kenyan legislature to impose a 20% excise tax on all betting stakes. The tax is based on a fundamental misunderstanding by the Rotich led treasury of how revenue generation works in the bookmaker industry," read the statement in part.

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