The Crucible’s World Snooker Championship has a new sponsor (Picture: Getty Images) The World Snooker Championship has signed up a new ‘title partner’ as IT services company Halo sponsors the event for the first time. The biggest tournament in the sport was sponsored by Cazoo in 2022 and ’23 after the online car retailer signed a ‘multi-year’ deal in 2022. The company fell into administration last year and Halo have now become the title partner of the event that has been held at the Crucible since 1977. Sponsorship of the World Snooker Championship had long been associated with tobacco, with Embassy the lead sponsor when it arrived at the Sheffield venue until 2005, when tobacco advertising had been legislated against. Then came a period of bookmakers leading the way, with 888.com, Betfair, Dafabet and for the longest period Betfred sponsoring the tournament. The sport has made an effort to diversify away from the gambling industry and now is partnering with Halo, which is described as ‘workflow automation, done differently.’ A World Snooker Tour press release says Halo is: ‘A privately owned, founder-led team, Halo builds ITSM, PSA and CRM software products which go far beyond providing a quick fix, with a people-first approach. Within the industry, Halo has built a reputation as a pioneer of efficiency and performance. ‘ Kyren Wilson won the last Cazoo World Snooker Championship (Picture: Getty Images) It’s a bit more complicated to understand than bookies, cigarettes or selling used cars online, but Halo does have some standing in sporting sponsorship already, with the McLaren Formula 1 Team and Premier League club Ipswich Town. Peter Wright, Chief Commercial Officer of WST, said: ‘We are excited to work with Halo for the first time as they are one of the UK’s fastest growing companies in recent years with an incredible development rate. ‘As one of the fastest growing sports worldwide, we share many of their values, particularly the drive to innovate in the digital sphere and to build products which people love. We are both on a highly ambitious journey. ‘The World Championship is such an incredible event which reaches so many people and always creates amazing storylines. I am sure Halo will enjoy learning about our sport and its power to inspire fans, while we look forward to learning more about the Halo way.’ Liam Delap of Ipswich Town sporting a Halo logo (Picture: Getty Images) Paul Hamilton, Owner/CEO of Halo Service Solutions, said: ‘’Halo is thrilled to be the Title Partner of the 2025 Snooker World Championship, joining forces with a tournament renowned for its incredible drama and the extraordinary skill of its players. ‘As a brand that thrives on innovation and excellence with ITSM (Enterprise Service Management), PSA (Professional Services Automation) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solutions, Halo is excited to support an event with such a rich history and massive appeal to fans of all ages around the world. ‘The 2025 World Championship promises to be an unforgettable spectacle, and Halo is proud to be a part of bringing this iconic event to life for a global audience.’ The qualifiers for the Halo World Snooker Championship run from April 7-16, with the main event at the Crucible from April 19 to May 5. Kyren Wilson heads there as the defending champion after beating Jak Jones in last year’s surprise final.