Casino operator Genting is targeting customers in Asia through a new sponsorship deal with English Premier League team Aston Villa.

Announced this week, the agreement will see Genting become the club’s main sponsor for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons, with its logo appearing on the home and away shirts.

Speaking to InterGaming, Genting UK’s executive deputy chairman, Peter Brooks, said there is "great excitement" surrounding the sponsorship deal.

"We’ve been looking to sponsor an English Premier League club for a little while," he said. "The Genting name in the UK is obviously not very well known yet - we’re conscious of that - and the origin of our wish to do this is the enormous enthusiasm for football in Asia and, in particular, for the English Premier League, which is quite clearly the pre-eminent football league around the world. When you look at the viewing figures, it’s quite remarkable.

"The Genting name recognition is high in Asia and so the ability to get our name on shirts and on screens being viewed there has a great deal of appeal to us."

Genting, which has been present in the UK gaming market since 2006 when it acquired Stanley Leisure, has over 40 casinos throughout the country, including five in London.

"As far as this sponsorship with Aston Villa is concerned," continued Brooks, "we have three casinos in Birmingham - five in the West Midlands - so we’re well rooted in that part of the world. We very much wanted to be partnering up with an English Premier League side and when we got the opportunity to partner a club with the heritage of Aston Villa, a founding member of the football league and a very distinguished record, we were delighted to be chosen.

For us to be putting our name with Aston Villa is going to cause huge excitement within the company. It’s a huge statement for us and we’re really looking forward to a fruitful partnership."