Italian footballing giants SS Lazio have signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with Polymarket worth more than $22 million. The agreement will see Polymarket’s logo appear on the front of Lazio’s first-team shirts through the end of the 2027/28 season.
The partnership also names Polymarket as Lazio’s official fan intelligence and digital insight partner, as the Serie A club looks to expand its global reach. Lazio currently sit ninth in Serie A with five matches remaining this season.
International development key focal point for Lazio, says Chief Executive
Announcing the news on the club’s website, Lazio president Claudio Lotito called it an important part of the club’s future plans.
He said: “Polymarket is a partner that interprets the future, capable of reading and analysing trends with innovative tools. This agreement strengthens Lazio’s path of international development and confirms the club’s desire to position itself as an increasingly modern, open, and competitive entity in the new landscape of global sport.”
Polymarket chief marketing officer Matthew Modabber added: “Lazio represents a historic institution with a forward-looking vision. We are proud to collaborate with a club that shares our approach to innovation and the enhancement of data, with the aim of building new experiences and new models in the world of sport.”
Beyond Italy, Major League Soccer in the US has signed a multi-year exclusive deal with Polymarket to integrate prediction data into fan experiences, while La Liga has partnered with the platform to incorporate prediction-driven content across its broadcasts and digital channels.
Earlier in the week, Polymarket announced it was seeking a post-money valuation of $15 billion after another round of fundraising.
Concerns over betting regulations and advertising rules in Europe
The agreement ends a three-year search for a shirt sponsor for Lazio, but there remains some legal issues facing the partnership.
Legislation across several European countries makes clear that activities offered by prediction market operators are classified as betting and subject to the same regulatory oversight. In Italy, this means Polymarket would need a licence from Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM), a public entity that regulates customs, excise duties on energy, alcohol, tobacco products, and public gaming.
In addition, Italy has banned sports betting advertising since 2018, preventing clubs like SS Lazio from signing direct shirt sponsorships with bookmakers, despite Serie A maintaining a central betting partner in 1XBet. This has led to workarounds, with teams such as Inter Milan and AS Roma promoting affiliated media or data brands instead. In that context, officials within the club are said to be confident the partnership complies with regulations.
In the UK, gambling sponsorship logos on the front of matchday shirts will be removed by the start of the 2026–27 season under a voluntary agreement by clubs in the Premier League. The change means front-of-shirt betting ads will no longer appear from that season onward, following pressure to curb gambling promotion, although brands can still appear on sleeves and other advertising assets.
While clubs are increasingly turning to data and technology partnerships as traditional sponsorship models face tighter restrictions, the complex regulatory landscape surrounding prediction markets is proving a tricky path to navigate, particularly as authorities across Europe continue to scrutinize whether such platforms should be treated as betting operators.
