Leicester City supporters have criticised the club’s ongoing sponsorship arrangement with online casino operator BC Game after the company announced Russian adult content creator Eva Elfie as its latest brand ambassador.
BC Game, which has featured on the Foxes’ shirts since the beginning of the 2024-25 season, unveiled its partnership with Elfie in a promotional video shared on X earlier this week.
The video featured the adult entertainer receiving a package from a delivery man containing her partnership contract. The announcement was accompanied by the message: “Welcome to BC Game Eva Elfie! Let the fun begin.”
The development has prompted a strong reaction from the Foxes Trust, which has repeatedly raised concerns about the club’s decision to accept sponsorship from the gambling company.
Foxes Trust Questions Club’s Sponsorship Decision
In a statement titled ‘BC Game – It Gets Worse’, the supporters’ organisation criticised the latest partnership and questioned the values being represented by Leicester City.
The statement read: “Most Leicester City supporters will know by now the Trust’s dismay and discontent with BC Game being our front of shirt sponsor.
“BC Game have now announced a new partnership with ‘international content creator and Esports personality’ Eva Elfie… who just happens to be an international porn star.”
The organisation said its objections to the sponsorship began when Leicester agreed to display a gambling company’s branding on its shirts in 2024.
Recalling its initial response to the deal, the Trust said the arrangement appeared to represent a departure from the club’s reputation as a well-managed, family-oriented football institution.
It also raised concerns about BC Game’s regulatory status in the UK, the origins of its funding and its use of cryptocurrency for online gaming.
Supporters Raise Concerns Over Gambling and Adult Content
The Foxes Trust argued that the company’s association with Elfie had added another dimension to its existing concerns about the sponsorship.
It said gambling and pornography could have damaging effects on individuals, particularly young people, and warned that the partnership connected both industries with Leicester City’s identity.
The statement added: “Both gambling and pornography can have devastating impacts on people’s lives, in particular young people.
Partnerships like these bring these two worlds to a larger audience and, by association, link them to Leicester City. Is this who we are now?”
The supporters’ group also referenced the findings of its end-of-season survey, which showed widespread opposition to the sponsorship arrangement.
According to the Trust, 73 per cent of respondents viewed the relationship negatively, while just five per cent expressed satisfaction with it.
The organisation reiterated its advice to supporters purchasing replica shirts, encouraging them to choose versions without the BC Game branding.
BC Game Chief Executive Defends Appointment
BC Game announced Elfie’s appointment with an emphasis on her involvement in esports and online gaming communities.
The Russian content creator has accumulated 4.8 million followers on Instagram and has developed an audience through her online content and gaming-related activities.
She also released her debut single, ‘Fairyland’, last month.
BC Game chief executive Ali ‘Ako’ Muhanned praised her ability to connect with audiences through live streaming and digital content.
He said: “Eva has built an incredible relationship with the gaming and esports community through genuine passion and consistent content creation.
“At BC.GAME, we want to work with creators who understand how to entertain, connect with audiences in real time, and bring positive energy to our players.
Her live streams are dynamic and engaging, making her a natural fit as we expand our footprint across esports and interactive entertainment.”
Gambling Sponsor Lost Its UK Operating Licence
BC Game’s regulatory position has also been a major source of concern for Leicester supporters.
The Foxes Trust has claimed that the company has not adequately addressed questions about the legitimacy of its funding and business operations.
The casino operator lost its licence to operate in the UK in December 2024 and has since concentrated on markets outside the country.
Despite those concerns, its sponsorship agreement with Leicester City has remained in place since its introduction at the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign.
Leicester’s Two Consecutive Relegations Deepen Supporter Frustration
The controversy surrounding the sponsorship comes amid a difficult period for Leicester, who have suffered consecutive relegations since BC Game became their principal shirt sponsor.
The club dropped from the Premier League to the Championship before another disappointing campaign saw them fall into League One.
Leicester were also handed a six-point deduction for breaching financial spending regulations during their Championship campaign.
The Foxes, who famously won the Premier League title in 2016 and lifted the FA Cup in 2021, are currently 10th in League One after 13 matches.
They have recorded five victories, four defeats and four draws.
Club Previously Welcomed Partnership as Commercial Opportunity
When the sponsorship agreement was announced in 2024, Leicester chief executive Susan Whelan described BC Game as an innovative commercial partner.
She said the agreement offered the club an opportunity to enter a new sponsorship category and develop a relationship with an international operator with existing connections to sports.
Whelan also highlighted the importance of attracting commercially valuable partners following Leicester’s return to the Premier League.
She said the additional commercial opportunities would help the club invest in its squad, improve the experience of supporters and pursue its ambition of establishing itself among football’s leading teams again.
