The joint-venture Spanish sportsbook operation Sportium – the product of a collaboration between Grupo Cirsa and Ladbrokes, has announced an exclusive deal with Andalucia’s most prestigious racecourse, the Gran Hipodromo Dos Hermanas.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sportium will take over the role of lead betting services provider to the course’s racetrack betting operator, Apuesta Hípica y Deportiva Iberia (AHD Iberia). Sportium have also been granted the right to broadcast all Gran Hipodromo racing action across its retail and online platforms, which makes it the first betting operator to accept bets throughout Spain on Andalusian horseracing.
The announcement is the latest stage in the plans laid out by Sportium’s Chief Executive, Alberto Eljarrat, for the company to play a major role in updating Spanish racing. Earlier this year, Sportium invested in the redevelopment of a number of Spanish racing properties and facilities, and speaking about the new partnership with Gran Hipodromo, Eljarrat said that the company was committed to raising the public profile of Spanish horse racing. He also said that the country has the potential to host racing fixtures all year round, but that it was being held back:
I believe that we are not leaders in turf, simply because we have not developed proper racing betting systems to support the sport’s infrastructures, Sportium will change this”.
Last year, Sportium announced a new strategic partnership with the French sportsbook PMU France, which has enabled the company to significantly increase its betting range and its portfolio of live European horse racing broadcasts. The latest deal also follows a significant retail expansion by Sportium, which has included new betting venues in both Andalucía and the Balearic Islands.
