National Rugby League (NRL) side, Brisbane Broncos have signed up UK-based internet gambling group, Sportingbet as a major team sponsor. The deal continues the strengthening between the gambling industry and Australia's major sporting leagues.

The Broncos are the most successful NRL team of the last two decades, having won six championships in that time.

The deal with the Australian arm of Sportingbert will consist of straightforward sponsorship payments, bucking the trend taking place in the NRL for gambling companies to pay their sponsored franchise a percentage of betting revenue.

"There has been some conjecture over this type of sponsorship and it is a sensitive area," Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen said. "But we have kept this deal very simple. This is a straight sponsorship agreement between two businesses. There is no revenue sharing.

"They pay us for the right to have signage and the like, and any new sponsor is welcome particularly in this difficult financial time."

Sportingbet Australia chief executive Michael Sullivan added, "We have always wanted to put money back into the sports we bet on and this is another great opportunity to do so."