Two of boxing’s biggest names have teamed up with online casino companies ahead of their undisputed world title fight.
Current undisputed super-middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is the global ambassador for 1Win – holding the role since May, before his unanimous decision victory over William Scull.
More recently, his opponent, the four-division world champion Terence Crawford, has announced a sponsorship deal with the US online social casino, Crown Coins Casino.
The pair will face off this Saturday (13 September) at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
All eyes on Vegas
Canelo vs Crawford has been billed as one of the biggest fights of the century, and boxing experts are predicting record viewership given it is being streamed on Netflix.
The streaming platform recorded 65 million concurrent viewers for an exhibition bout between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson. Six million viewers also tuned in to Netflix to watch the third fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano – making it the most-watched professional boxing event in the US in 2025.
As a result, partnering with either fighter guarantees significant brand recognition for 1Win and Crown Coins Casino.
In the case of 1Win, the platform is available in a wide range of countries around the globe, across Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America – including Canelo’s native Mexico.
Crown Coins Casino also emphasised the worldwide reach of its partnership with Crawford, who has been the undisputed champion at both junior welterweight and welterweight.
Ben Joffer, CEO at Crown Coins Casino, said: “This partnership not only connects our brand with one of the most anticipated sporting events of all time, but also reinforces our commitment to providing world-class entertainment to audiences worldwide.”
Billion-dollar market
Reports suggest that the boxing betting market was worth approximately $3.5bn in 2024, and is anticipated to grow to $5.2bn by 2025.
In August, Queensberry Promotions, which counts fighters Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois and Dillian Whyte amongst its stable, renewed its partnership with FDJ United, extending an association that began in 2016.
Throughout this time, Queensberry has helped showcase FDJ’s Unibet and 32Red brands “alongside some of the most iconic nights in boxing history”, according to Sam Mead, FDJ United’s General Manager for the UK.
Moses Itauma, another fighter competing under the Queensberry banner, also recently became the latest brand ambassador of Bet9ja.
Ben Cove, CMO of Logifuture, explained to iGaming Expert the significance for betting brands of partnering with a boxer such as Itauma.
He said: “I always feel there is an added sense of ceremony when a brand partners with a fighter. A triumphant fighter evokes feelings of power and majesty, and the risk/reward nature of heavyweight boxing is akin to gladiatorial times. It’s true theatre. Moses is a warrior, and now he is our warrior.
“We’re in an era where sports partnerships are about far more than attaching your name or logo to something – it’s about creating experiences, telling stories and inspiring actions.”
iGaming Expert Analysis: Although there has been much competition from Riyadh, Vegas retained its role as the undefeated fight capital of the world and subsequently the iGaming sector aligns with boxing perfectly, through a myriad of partnerships and activations we have continued to see this relationship flourish.
Furthermore, iGaming can benefit from boxing’s expansion into the world of Netflix and the monumental audience growth that arrives as a result of this broadcasting heavyweight.
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