Betsson Launches Foundation to Coordinate Charity and Sports Initiatives

Betsson Group has launched the Betsson Foundation to bring its charitable, community and sports-related activities under a single organisation.

The operator announced the initiative on October 1. The foundation will coordinate programmes across the group’s markets and office locations, working with employees, partners and local organisations.

Betsson said the structure would bring together activities ranging from employee-led fundraising and grassroots projects to community initiatives developed through its relationships with football clubs and athletes. 

Initial Focus on Existing Projects

The foundation’s website states that its first priority will be supporting and expanding existing initiatives and partnerships. New collaborations may be considered as the organisation develops, through processes aligned with its objectives.

Sport will remain a central part of its work. The website describes activities spanning swimming, padel and football, involving both elite athletes and grassroots participation alongside broader charitable causes. 

Jesper Svensson, chief executive of Betsson Operations, said the foundation would allow the group to work more closely with its club and athlete partners on community programmes.

Jonna Danlund, Betsson’s director of ESG, identified long-term partnerships and support for communities across the company’s locations as priorities. These are the group’s stated objectives for the organisation. 

Peru Programme Among Named Initiatives

One project highlighted in the launch announcement is Boosting Up, a five-year programme in Peru supporting 22 participants from a school in Lima.

The programme combines football activities with English-language education and nutritional support. Betsson presented it as an example of the initiatives the foundation will support while building on the group’s existing partnerships. 

Separate Legal Entity Established in Malta

Betsson Foundation has been incorporated in Malta as a separate legal entity with registered public benefit status, according to the company and the foundation’s website.

Its governance framework comprises the founding company, a Board of Administrators and a Supervisory Council. Betsson says these bodies will provide oversight of the foundation’s activities and support compliance with applicable legal requirements.

The launch materials do not disclose an endowment, annual budget or total funding commitment. They also do not specify how resources will be allocated between charitable, community and sports programmes.