The National Football League (NFL) has opted for a position of unambiguity towards sports gambling. Even though the organization once condemned the activity and insisted on receiving “integrity fees,” the top brass has decided to change tack.
Earlier this week, the NFL announced that it would allow both gambling sponsorships and further collaborations with sports betting companies to set-up special lounges. However, this would take a while as the League currently maintains a no-betting stance in lounges.
Pushing for New Partnerships in the 2020/2021 Season
However, the NFL is forging ahead and full on with the idea. According to Yahoo Sports, everything should be ready on time for the 2020/2021 NFL Season, and while over-the-counter-bets might be off, reports have suggested that mobile betting is definitely to be considered.
However, the NFL would only permit such collaborations with League franchises to take a place in states where it is legal to bet on sports. Presently, there are 14 states that allow sports betting, but by the end of 2020, this number may as well have grown to 20 states.
Initially, the NFL subjected the idea of seeking closer ties with gambling companies to internal review. The Sports Betting Committee has gone through all the aspects of introducing a move like this and has agreed that it would influence the league positively.
NFL Already Has Existing Betting Partnerships
In the meantime, the NFL has not been dormant when it comes to its own sports betting deals. The league is in fact officially affiliated with DraftKings for Daily Fantasy Sports. Sportradar, an integrity company, is the official sports betting data partner, and as to an actual casino operator, the NFL has chosen none other than Caesars Entertainment.
In many ways, the NFL is ahead of the curve, but now the organization wants to seek even further opportunities. Seven new states are likely to end up legalizing sports betting in 2020 as well, including:
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Washington DC
Embracing Sports Betting Culture
Speaking to ESPN, NFL chief strategy and growth officer Chris Halpin has commented on the league’s decision to go ahead with the lounge of these venues:
“We’re allowing betting lounges. Similar to daily fantasy lounges today, in an adult, discreet area, there will be a betting setup, but we’re not going to have betting windows.”
He further shared the NFL excitement about the pace at which sports betting has been developing in the United States and further drew attention to the existing partnership with Caesars Entertainment.
Caesars has exclusive rights in a deal that cost $30 million and will extend through 2021. In the meantime, Caesars has also teamed up with the Philadelphia Eagles for a marketing partnership.