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If you’re active on X/Twitter, are somehow able to navigate that seismic spike in hate speech in recent years and find yourself on the sports corners of the app, then you’ve likely seen a watermark ad for a gambling company called “Stake,” as the company has recently taken up a new technique of sponsoring content posted by popular sports accounts.
Over the weekend, a video of West Ham right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka went viral on the social media app, garnering over 3.1 million views at the time of this writing. The clip, while of an official Premier League game, was not taken with official Premier League cameras, as it was recorded from the stands.
This has seemingly created a loophole that has allowed Stake to put their branding on videos showcasing other peoples’ products, i.e. leagues. Given the payout system installed on the social media app in recent years, this allows accounts to generate revenue on content they do not own.
Till this day, still can’t believe we let this baller leave man💔
pic.twitter.com/kXP9w7wWx5— AB⚕ (@AbsoluteBruno) February 23, 2025
Now, according The Athletic writer Adam Crafton, “multiple” Premier League broadcasters are “monitoring” the trend, with BeIN Sport also saying they’re “looking into further measures.”
Another 2.4m views on Premier League with the Stake gambling logo slapped across it. Multiple broadcasters have told me they are monitoring this growing X trend. BeIN Sport “looking into further measures.” https://t.co/uxIOfUs7tl
— Adam Crafton (@AdamCrafton_) February 24, 2025
In the United Kingdom, the Premier League is broadcast by Sky Sports, which also broadcasts lower league soccer, cricket, rugby, golf, Formula One, boxing, darts, college basketball and the NFL. BeIN Sports also broadcasts numerous global soccer leagues.
In America, the Premier League is broadcasted by NBC, which also owns the broadcast rights to the NFL, the Olympics, Big East basketball, Big Ten football and basketball, NASCAR, Notre Dame football, PGA Tour golf, the Tour de France, and Thoroughbred racing.