An offshore gambling company that breached Australian law and was forced to withdraw from the country has paid the national football league to promote it overseas.

The Australian Professional Leagues has digitally imposed ads for the gambling company 8XBet on to international broadcasts of A-Leagues matches. The company’s logo can be seen in 10 locations simultaneously during some games.

The ads, which cannot be seen by fans inside the stadium, featured during matches played by clubs that have vowed to never accept money from gambling companies and complained about the proliferation of ads during live sport.

The commercial deal, struck by an agency, does not allow the ads to be broadcast in Australia, New Zealand, the US or the UK. 8XBet is an official wagering partner for English giant Manchester City and targets the Asian market, where football and the Premier League are popular.