The proliferation of official betting partnerships in sports is a growing trend, and they’re a great way for industry leaders to join forces. These aren’t one-time deals; they’re portfolios of long-standing relationships. DraftKings, for example, is one of the largest names in the industry, and they’ve teamed up with many leading brands to expand their reach and presence across various states.
The NFL is the most recent major league to sign an official betting partnership. They’ve partnered with several sportsbooks and online gambling companies to incorporate gambling into their broadcasts. As part of the deal, these sportsbooks get exclusive league data and can promote their relationship with the league through advertising and marketing. The NFL expects to generate $270 million in revenue through official sports betting this year, and they can also partner with other sportsbooks to sign similar deals.
Earlier this year, NFL teams were reluctant to incorporate gambling into their broadcasts. The networks didn’t want to alienate casual viewers. But as more media companies jump into gambling content, the NFL has moved cautiously. The league conducted studies to determine how fans would react to betting on games and found that most fans would prefer betting on mobile apps. It also found that in-stadium betting kiosks were unpopular with fans.
The NFL, on the other hand, backed a sports betting law that would include meaningful licensing requirements, create transparent markets, and protect consumers. It would also prohibit insider betting and put the responsibility of preventing such activities on the part of operators. The NFL also sought support from the owners of its 32 teams, which fell into four groups.