Despite limitations placed on iGaming marketing in the UK in reaction to the increase in remote gaming duty, operators still appear to be exploring new avenues for TV advertising.
Paddy Power is the latest operator to take this approach, having secured a new sponsorship deal with ITV’s Nobody’s Fool.
Paddy Power Games will be the headline sponsor of ITV’s new show, described as ‘a strategic reality quiz format packed full of drama, deception and high-stakes gameplay’, with 10 contestants taking on challenges that test intelligence and perception, building up a prize pot.
Beginning this Saturday, 22 May, six episodes will air over the next two weeks, with the Flutter Entertainment brand’s sponsorship package including broadcast accreditation around the programme, alongside online rights spanning ITVX streaming environments.
Paddy Power Games will also launch an exclusive free-to-play game, Nobody’s Fool Carnival Chaos. Built in a traditional RNG format inspired by the show’s tasks, the game is of a carousel-style design where players throw to hit a target, winning an instant cash prize if they are successful.
A Paddy Power Games spokesperson said: “Nobody’s Fool is exactly the type of entertainment audiences love getting behind – fun, unpredictable and packed with twists.
“The show’s playful competitive spirit made it a natural fit for Paddy Power Games, and we’re excited to bring fans even closer to the action with Carnival Chaos as the series lands on screens later this month.”
iGaming Expert analysis
Many iGaming operators mitigated the remote gaming duty increase from 21% to 40% that came into force at the beginning of April by cutting back on their marketing spend.
However, it doesn’t appear that Paddy Power and Flutter are going in this direction, despite the challenging headwinds.
In their recent first quarter 2026 financial update, the firm reported an increase in revenue and average monthly players of 14% and 10%, respectively, across its UK and Ireland operations.
Peter Jackson, Flutter’s Chief Executive Officer, mentioned that double-digit iGaming growth was achieved in Q1 for its Paddy Power, tombola and Betfair brands, ‘driven by a strong pipeline of new slots content resulting in strong retention metrics’.
Flutter also believes that it will be able to capitalise on additional market share in the UK as smaller operators depart due to the uptick in costs following the increase in iGaming taxes.
How much of an impact the duty increase will have on Flutter’s UKI iGaming operations remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the operator wants to give Paddy Power Games a boost before Q2 concludes through this ITV sponsorship.
