The NHL and MGM Resorts agree first official league sports betting partnership in US.
The NHL has announced MGM Resorts International will be their first official league sports betting partner.
As FortuneZ reported a few days ago, NHL team the New Jersey Devils and the Prudential Center have also entered into a sports betting partnership with William Hill.
Under the terms of the NHL-MGM agreement, the Las Vegas-based operator will gain full access to the league’s game data and intellectual property, enabling it to use the valuable NHL and NHL team logos in its marketing activities.
Since individual US states started to legalise sports betting following the repeal of PASPA, the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB have all stated their intentions of making deals with sports betting partners, with a view to securing some of the potentially huge revenues betting will generate.
Commenting on the partnership, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said:
“The new sports betting landscape presents a unique opportunity for fan engagement utilising technology and data that are exclusive to our league. As a leading global gaming operator and entertainment company, MGM Resorts is the perfect partner for us to begin our transformative entry into this space.”
Meanwhile, Sara Slane, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs of the American Gaming Association said:
“Sports betting agreements through contracts enhance the fan and consumer experience. The NHL’s announcement today further strengthens the bond between sports entities and gaming companies, who are each committed to preserving the integrity of the game. As legal sports betting expands, we are encouraged by the growing relationship between gaming companies and the major sports leagues.”
The AGA have been very enthusiastic about the potential benefits of US sporting leagues working with gambling operators, commissioning several recent Nielsen Sports reports to highlight the possible economic benefits.
