ATG pens deal with Swedish trotting association

Swedish sports betting operator Aktiebolaget Trav och Galopp (ATG) has agreed a sponsorship deal with Svensk Travsport, the country’s national association for trotting.

Under the agreement, ATG will serve as title sponsor of the annual Elitloppet event until at least 2020.

ATG will also have exclusive sponsorship rights at various other major trotting events in Sweden, including the Sprintermästaren at Halmstadtravet and the V75-champions and Paralympic races at Åbytravet.

“For us at ATG, it is about being visible and at the same time contributing to an increased experience for our customers at the biggest sporting events,” ATG’s chief executive Hasse Lord Skarplöth said.

Svensk Travsport chief executive Maria Croon added: “ATG is our largest partner and for us it is important that ATG continues to contribute to strengthening the experience on the trot track.

“The agreement covers several parts where ATG enters as a sponsor at several levels on different courses.”

The deal comes after ATG last month reported a 6.6% year-on-year rise in net gaming revenue for 2019, despite a decline in income from horse racing betting in the country.

Revenue for the 12 months through to 31 December 2019 totalled SEK4.43bn (£354.3m/€418.8m/$458.5m), up from SEK4.16bn in the previous year.

Horse racing was by far ATG’s primary source of income generating SEK3.86bn in gross gaming revenue for the year. In comparison, sports betting contributed just SEK271m to the overall total, with a further SEK308m coming from online casino.