Mixed martial arts promotion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced a new partnership with sportsbook and cryptocurrency platform Stake.
The tie-up, which covers the Asia region, will see Stake offer co-branded promotions and VIP experiences in collaboration with UFC in order to enhance its betting experience in the continent.
Stake will also collaborate with the UFC on co-branded content on each side’s digital and social media channels with UFC fighters present, including former two-time UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya, who became the first-ever Stake ambassador in 2021.
Nick Smith, UFC vice president of global partnerships, stated of the new deal: “We're thrilled to partner with an exciting and emerging brand like Stake to offer exclusive digital and social content to our fans, as well as an innovative gaming experience.”
UFC boasts a number of sportsbook partners in different regions of the world, with Stake adding to its global betting provider portfolio.
Most recently, the promotion extended its multi-year regional partnership with UK-based sports betting company Entain for the latter to remain UFC’s betting partner in Australia and New Zealand through its Ladbrokes brand, branding of which will be displayed prominently in the Octagon and via UFC broadcasts in the two countries.
In France, Poland, and Portugal, meanwhile, UFC is partnered with Betclic as a regional partner, while in the UK and Ireland, its official sportsbook is Bet365.
Amid all of the betting deals announced in the last few years, the UFC has also partnered with betting monitor ProhiBet in order to ensure adherence to gambling laws by those who bet on UFC.
ProhiBet uses its advanced notification platform to monitor specific individuals who are not allowed to bet on UFC events, such as UFC athletes, coaches, employees, and officials.