On average, an NFL team will generate $420mm in revenue a year, and now that is slated to rise even higher. NFL sponsors can bid for NFL brand deals, such as stadium naming rights and jersey patches, but gambling companies were excluded.
In 2018, the NFL relaxed its long-standing rule against gambling company sponsorships. Casinos could make brand deals with NFL teams just like any other company. In theory, huf online casino could become one of NFL sponsors, featuring on an NFL jersey patch alongside other gambling companies.
The benefits of these new NFL sponsors are staggering. In 2021, NFL teams earned $1.8bn in total revenue from gambling sponsorships. The gambling companies paid $10mm–$200mm a year for brand deals with specific NFL teams.
Nana-Yaw Asamoah, VP of Business Development at the NFL, announced three additional gambling company NFL sponsors by saying, “This group of operators will help the League to engage fans.”
What Companies Sponsor The NFL?
As of the 2021 NFL season, four gambling companies are NFL sponsors:
- BetMGM
- FOX Bet
- Pointsbet
- WynnBET
In April 2021, the NFL closed partnerships with three more betting companies:
- Caesars Entertainment
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
These seven NFL sponsors became Approved Sportsbook Operators (ASO), meaning they can use NFL brand assets when offering NFL gambling services and products. An ASO can access other media inventory and NFL advertising to stand out from their competition. That helps an ASO stand out during the Super Bowl, which attracts 31.4 million Americans to wager $7.6bn in legal bets.
Why the Sudden Shift?
Prior to 2018, the NFL carefully avoided any link to sports gambling, fearing damage to the integrity of the sport. However, in 2018, the US Supreme Court ruled in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, striking down a 1992 federal law that banned sports gambling.
That decision allowed states to legislate sports gambling, tapping into a new source of state revenue that was previously illegal. The NFL decided it would be smarter to do the same, which would also empower NFL teams. Of course, the NFL closely works with gambling companies to detect irregular betting patterns that indicate corruption or improper behavior.
BetMGM
BetMGM is a premier NFL gambling company and one of the pioneers in the online gambling industry. It is a massive joint venture of two entities: MGM Resorts International and Entain Plc. BetMGM can leverage the assets of both entities, tying MGM’s online and real-world sports betting and hospitality assets with Entain Plc’s digital technology.
NFL gambling is still a delicate subject for MGM Resorts. In 2023, MGM Resorts entered a deal with the NFL Players Association that allows active NFL players to promote its retail casinos. The deal does not include BetMGM, presumably to maintain the family-friendly image of MGM Resorts.
BetMGM deals are currently available in the following states:
- DC
- VA
- MI
- IA
- NJ
- WV
- IN
- PA
- TN
- CO
- NV
Some of the brands featured in this joint venture include Borgata Casino, Party Poker, and Party Casino.
FOX Bet
Launched in September 2020, FOX Bet features full integration with a media conglomerate, which includes FOX Sports. FOX Bet made a partnership with other gambling companies, such as the Stars Group, creating one of the most beloved NFL gambling platforms. The goal of FOX Bet is to expand to every legal market in the US, capturing as much market share as possible. For now, FOX Bet is available in:
- CO
- MI
- NJ
- PA
The FOX betting app sports some of the most creative and lucrative bonuses on the market. With almost 5 million users, FOX Bet has given out $5mm in prizes to 50,000 lucky ones among them. The betting app, dubbed FOX Bet Super 6, has had the most downloads of any apps in the “sports prediction” category since 2020.
PointsBet
PointsBet hails from Australia, where the sports betting market is mature and well regulated. It is currently available in seven US states:
- CO
- IL
- WV
- NJ
- MI
- IA
- IN
The selling point of PointsBet is the complexity of the pre-game and live betting options for the players. That’s because PointsBet owns and controls the technology, allowing it to have unparalleled performance without any third-party dependencies or risks.
PointsBet offers bet types no other sportsbook does, featuring exclusive products and services such as Name-A-Bet, which lets gamblers define their own bet. The only two conditions are: a) that the new bet must be “within reason”, and b) on sports that PointsBet is already offering.
WynnBET
WynnBET is an offshoot of Wynn Interactive, the online gaming section of Wynn Resorts, Ltd., a prestigious hospitality company. The WynnBET user interface is optimized for seamless performance and instant playability. There are seven valid payment methods for users, with the minimum deposit limit at $10 and the minimum stake at $1.
The standout features of WynnBET are social betting mechanics, where users can wager against each other, and Wynn Rewards. Whether playing on properties, in the app, or on desktop, patrons of Wynn Resorts can count on being treated as VIPs through an extensive three-tier program. All early adopters of the WynnBET platform receive extra perks as well, rewarding their loyalty.
Restrictions On Casino Sponsorship
Despite gambling companies becoming NFL sponsors, the NFL still has a very strict gambling policy for players and staff members. Nobody involved with the NFL can place bets on matches to discourage match fixing and to avoid the slightest suspicion of impropriety. Not only that, but players and staff can’t even receive free accommodations or gifts from NFL sponsors.
The NFL players and personnel can’t influence any statistic, score, or outcome of any NFL match or solicit or accept manipulation of any of them. If somebody even hints at doing something improper regarding stats, they must report it to the NFL. That seems way too harsh, but people wager on NFL stats as well.
FAQ
Q: Who are the biggest NFL sponsors?
Bud Light, Pepsi, Miller Lite, and Verizon are the top brands with ads in NFL games. Verizon alone spent $300mm on a 10-year partnership with the NFL.
Q: What are some future NFL sponsors?
Cryptocurrency sponsors seem to be the next big category of sponsors. They are growing globally, and judging by how the NBA is accepting crypto deals, we might see them in the NFL too.
Q: What happens if an NFL player violates the non-gambling policy?
The punishments are a minimum 1-year suspension up to a lifetime ban from the NFL.
