Asian Bookie Fun88 Eyes India With West Indian Endorsement

West Indian cricketing star Daren Sammy has inked a multi-year brand ambassadorship with Asian bookie Fun88.

The collaboration with the 37-year-old, which aims to ‘break new boundaries’, makes Sammy the betting brand’s first cricket spokesman and looks to build on Fun88’s ongoing deal with T20 tournament Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

In addition, the two-time T20 World Cup winning captain will push fan engagement through the creation of content and education opportunities for audiences, joining the likes of Robbie Fowler and Steve Nash.  

“My relationship with the number 88, which has been my jersey number too, spans more than two decades,” Sammy explained.

“So, with Fun88, I now see a natural synergy to make it the go-to destination for sports enthusiasts in India. Having followed Fun88 for a while, I have seen how the platform has evolved over the years. It has always celebrated sports and cricket, bringing fans together since inception.

“I’m thrilled to be collaborating on this partnership with the team at Fun88 and very grateful for being given the opportunity to act as its ambassador and public face.”

Regarded as one of the best bowlers and all-rounders of his generation across all formats, Sammy has led the West Indies to two ICC World T20 tournament victories in 2012 and 2016.

According to ASN data, Fun88’s spends for Q321 is nearly US$3.4m,   an almost two-fold spike from its average quarterly investment of US$1.8m over the past three years. The online bookie is particularly focused on football partnerships, namely, EPL clubs Newcastle United and Spurs, for the Asian market.  The partnership with Darren Sammy is clearly aimed to target the the booming sports gambling market in India.