Winvia Entertainment has entered into a partnership with Premier League club Aston Villa to launch an official club-branded prize draw platform, expanding the growing prize draw sector into professional football while creating a new digital engagement channel for supporters.
The London-listed company will develop and operate the new Villa Win competition using the same prize draw technology that powers BOTB (Best of the Best). Under the agreement, Winvia will provide the technical platform, operational infrastructure and regulatory oversight required to run the competitions on behalf of Aston Villa.
The initiative will offer fans the chance to win club-related prizes, exclusive experiences and other rewards, with the aim of strengthening supporter engagement beyond matchdays. The partnership is also expected to generate an additional revenue stream for the club.
Winvia, which also operates several brands in Romania, joined London’s AIM market in November 2025 following its initial public offering. The Aston Villa agreement represents the company’s first major business-to-business deployment of its proprietary prize draw platform.
As part of the arrangement, Winvia will oversee all technical, operational and compliance responsibilities, ensuring the competitions are conducted under the UK’s Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators.
The company plans to launch Villa Win initially for supporters in the UK before expanding the offering into international markets. Winvia will continue managing the competitions after launch, while both organisations expect proceeds from the initiative to support Aston Villa’s long-term development projects and community programmes.
The partnership is also an important step in Winvia’s post-IPO strategy, with the company identifying partner-operated prize draw platforms as a key driver of future growth.
For Aston Villa, the project is intended to provide supporters with new ways to interact with the club while creating additional income that can be reinvested into football operations and community initiatives.
The agreement reflects the rapid growth of the UK’s prize draw industry, which has increasingly expanded beyond traditional retail promotions into sports partnerships. Industry momentum has accelerated in recent months, including the creation of a dedicated trade body in July and continued merger and acquisition activity.
Earlier this year, German lottery brokerage Zeal Network SE strengthened its position in the UK market by acquiring a 96.5% stake in prize draw operator SevenCanyon Limited, highlighting increasing investor interest in the sector.
Prize draw operators in the UK currently follow a voluntary code introduced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in May. Unlike traditional online gambling products, prize draws are not presently subject to Remote Gaming Duty, making the model an attractive commercial option for businesses seeking alternative revenue streams.
However, the sector also faces potential regulatory challenges. DrawHouse has recently warned operators that a revised interpretation of VAT rules by HM Revenue & Customs could reduce operating margins by between 25% and 30%, while potentially exposing businesses to significant retrospective tax liabilities if implemented.