Online bookmaker and gaming company Victor Chandler has announced it is to become the official sponsor of Coca-Cola Championship football club Nottingham Forest for the season 09/10 for an initial one-year term for a significant six-figure sum.

Victor Chandler has secured a wide range of Nottingham Forest rights. The historic Victor Chandler brand will appear on Forest’s new home and away kits, as well as adult replica kits. The famous Victor Chandler script logo will have a major presence in The City Ground, and will become the In-Stadia betting partner. In addition Victor Chandler has plans for promotions and benefits for adult season ticket holders and fans purchasing the new home and away shirts.

Victor Chandler make Nottingham Forest a best price 40/1 to win the Championship this season, and 10/1 to be promoted to the Premier League by any means. They are 11/10 to finish above local rivals Derby County and Billy Davies is 16/1 to be the Championship Manager of the Month for August.

In addition to the sponsorship deal Victor Chandler also announce the appointment of Viv Anderson MBE as the company’s Football Ambassador. Anderson made 328 appearances for Nottingham Forest between 1974 and 1984 and was part of their dual European Cup winning team. Anderson commented “I am delighted to be working with Victor and his team. I obviously have a great affinity with Nottingham Forest and look forward to being involved with the club once more. Both Nottingham Forest and Victor Chandler are steeped in history and both of them definitely belong in the Premier League.”

Chairman Victor Chandler commented “I am delighted with the agreement to sponsor Nottingham Forest and to welcome Viv Anderson to the company. This deal means the Victor Chandler profile will be raised significantly in the UK, and comes at a great time with the imminent launch of my new website. I am also excited about the worldwide media opportunities the Championship now offers, particularly in the Far East. My only concern is offering the 40/1 top price about them winning the Championship this season!”

There has been continued speculation this week on whether one of Britain’s biggest online and land gambling groups, William Hill plc, is getting set to move its online operations out of the UK. It’s a frequently raised possibility triggered by rising taxes and competition (see previous InfoPowa reports).

Adding weight to the rumours this week was an interview given to the Financial Times by Will Hill’s CEO Ralph Topping.

“We face worldwide competition from 400 or so English-language betting websites,” the executive said. “In these circumstances, clearly we do not have the luxury of being parochial about our future or taking a simplistic stance on complicated issues.”

Topping went on to cite competitive pressure from low-tax jurisdiction rivals such as Paddy Power and Bwin, triggering renewed rumours that the UK company was seriously considering moving its key telephone and Internet betting operations offshore. Topping has in the past commented that he sees considerable potential in Internet operations, and these have seen significant expansion, most recently involving Orbis and Playtech.

Topping has previously voiced his frustration at having to pay UK tax of 15 percent whilst competitors like Paddy Power pay 1,5 percent in Ireland.

The Financial Mail was told that competition was the reason for the company’s decision to close 20 betting shops in the UK this year and freeze pay rises for its 16 000 employees.

Approached for comment by the FT, UK government spokesmen said the government would be “very disappointed” if groups like William Hill moved offshore, and assured the newspaper that a review of remote gambling rules was in progress in order to ensure a more level playing field.

Will Hill’s possible intention to move offshore fears burst into the open last week when Paul Dixon, president of the Racecourse Owners Association, said William Hill was “very serious about moving”.

Dixon told a conference of racing industry leaders that an offshore move by William Hill would almost certainly be mirrored by its rivals. “I believe they are geared up to make this move and, if they do go, how would Ladbrokes and Coral respond to that?” he said. “If this is going to be greatly to the detriment of racing, then the government must do something about it or face the consequences.”

Dixon said the Treasury stood to lose up to GBP45 million a year in taxation, while the 10 percent levy bookmakers pay to racing from their profits would suffer a shortfall of up to GBP30 million, if the three leading bookmakers relocated their telephone bets and online businesses.

Going back to 2005/6 when the reformation of British gambling law was in its initial stages, many online gambling operators were enthusiastic about using the UK as a licensing jurisdiction and were prepared to be examined by the proposed regulator. However, it was repeatedly pointed out that if the UK government set too high a tax level, there would be little incentive to change from jurisdictions like Gibraltar and the Isle of Man. In the event, then Chancellor Gordon Brown set a 15 percent taxation rate, which effectively discouraged most operators from relocating to the UK.