Flutter boosts Leeds Rhinos Foundation support with increased funding and new health programme

Flutter Entertainment has renewed its partnership with Leeds Rhinos for a further year, reinforcing its commitment to community health initiatives as a cornerstone of its sports-related activities. The agreement centres on continued backing for the Leeds Rhinos Foundation, the club's charity arm that delivers specialist support for individuals with long-term health conditions.

Under the extended deal, Flutter will increase its annual contribution to the foundation from £25,000 to £36,000. The additional investment will fund the launch of a new weight management initiative named 'Try Club', broadening the foundation's existing portfolio of programmes.

Dan Busfield, Head of Partnerships and Development at the Leeds Rhinos Foundation, highlighted the importance of the support. "These services would not be possible without their support," he said, noting that the extra funding allows the foundation to continue serving 120 participants through existing schemes while also rolling out Try Club to offer free, expert-led health improvement resources to more residents in Leeds.

The partnership reflects a broader shift among gambling operators towards embedding social responsibility into their sports collaborations, particularly in the UK. While Premier League clubs have voluntarily agreed to remove front-of-shirt betting sponsors from the 2026/27 season onwards, and campaigners continue to call for wider restrictions, Flutter has focused on community-facing projects rather than direct advertising. Its Sky Bet subsidiary, a long-standing partner of the English Football League, used its visibility during the 2025/26 season to promote the British Heart Foundation. Meanwhile, Paddy Power has highlighted Prostate Cancer UK during the PDC World Darts Championship for two consecutive years.

For Flutter, the Leeds Rhinos partnership carries added significance given the company's technology headquarters in the city, which employs over 1,700 staff. The group's broader 'Do More' programme aims to positively impact the lives of more than 10 million people across various communities. Paul McCormick, Chief Technology Officer at Flutter International and senior business sponsor for charity initiatives at the Leeds office, commented: "Leeds is a city that is incredibly important to our business." He added that supporting programmes making a tangible difference in communities where staff live and work is central to Flutter's local impact strategy.