Swedish state-owned gambling company Svenska Spel has struck a deal to become the new main sponsor of the country’s National Olympic Committee, the SOK.
The deal will be worth more than SEK100m (€9.5m/$10.7m) and will run for seven-and-a-half years, through to December 31, 2026.
The agreement will feature a number of joint initiatives, including support for SOK’s talent development programme and the creation of a Svenska Spel team of ambassadors from different sports.
Svenska was a supporter of the Stockholm-Åre bid to host the 2026 winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, which last week lost out as the International Olympic Committee voted to award the Games to Milan-Cortina in Italy.
In other news, Svenska has also signed a seven-year partnership with the Swedish Ski Association, worth about SEK80m.
The agreement will focus on long-distance skiing, with the gambling operator supporting the development of 24 cross-country athletes between the ages of 18 and 22.
Svenska has been working hard to boost its image in the country in recent months. In April, the operator announced it would stop advertising its online casino offering until at least the end of this year over concerns that it could lead to problem gambling in the country.