188BET is an online sportsbook

Sportsbook

In the United States a sportsbook or a race and sports book is a place where a gambler can wager on various sports competitions, including golf, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, horse racing, boxing, and mixed martial arts. The method of betting varies with the sport and the type of...

 provider. 188BET is owned by Cube Limited, which is licenced and regulated by the Isle of Man

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...

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Sponsorship

188BET have been the principal sponsor of Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers F.C.

Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....

 in the Barclays Premier League since the 2009–2010 season, replacing previous sponsor Reebok. 188BET is also the main sponsor of England's rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

 northern premiership team Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle Falcons

The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...

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188BET also sponsored Wigan Athletic

Wigan Athletic F.C.

Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...

 from 2009 to 2011. Rival betting company 12Bet took over Wigan's shirt sponsorship for the 2011-12 season.

When sponsoring both Bolton and Wigan, they were reported as being the first company to sponsor two football clubs in the Barclays Premier League for the same season. However, from 2000 to 2002, Newcastle United

Newcastle United F.C.

Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...

 and Aston Villa

Aston Villa F.C.

Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...

 were both sponsored by NTL

NTL

NTL Incorporated, was a U.S.-listed British company, that became the first "quadruple-play" media-company in the UK, bringing together television, Internet, mobile phone and fixed-line telephone services. While NTL has its headquarters in New York City, the company's activities focus heavily on...

, the first actual occurrence of two Premier League clubs having the same shirt sponsor. The third such occurrence took place in the 2010–11 season when FxPro

FxPro

FxPro is the brand name of FxPro Financial Services Limited, an online retail trading broker in Contract for difference on foreign exchange , shares, futures and precious metals.-History:FxPro was established in 2006 in Cyprus...

 were the principal shirt sponsor for Aston Villa and Fulham

Fulham F.C.

Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...

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188BET also partner other Premier League teams Aston Villa, Chelsea

Chelsea F.C.

Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...

, Liverpool

Liverpool F.C.

Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...

 and Everton

Everton F.C.

Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...

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Controversy

In October 2009, representatives of the Premier League criticised 188BET and SBOBET

SBOBET

SBOBET.com is an online sportsbook. The website has operations in Asia licensed by the Philippines and operations in Europe licensed by the Isle of Man to operate as an international sports bookmaker...

 for offering live betting on academy football games, maintaining that children and youth activities should not be exposed by international gambling organisations. Both bookmakers subsequently suspended betting on academy games and expressed their intention to seek clarification from the Premier League and the Professional Footballers' Association

Professional Footballers' Association

The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....

about which football markets they should be allowed to offer.