The NFL Makes Sports Betting Official

As the biggest sports league in the United States, the NFL has been aggressive in infusing its broadcasts with gambling content. It has even allowed sports betting to become a part of the stadium experience. In April, the league announced that three sportsbooks would become official betting partners with the NFL, allowing them to tie their brands and promotions to game statistics. The deal is worth nearly $1 billion if the NFL keeps it up, but it can opt out after three years.

In its final report, the NFL explained how it would like sports gambling legislation to look. It would include substantial licensing requirements, create clear markets, and protect consumers. In addition, the league would prohibit insider betting and place the onus on sports betting operators to prevent it. The NFL needed the support of all 32 NFL team owners, which fell into four groups. However, the league did not have the requisite support to enact its plan. As a result, it had to rely on outside groups to get the approval necessary for the new legislation.

Its media partners are jumping into the betting world as well. Fox, for example, recently launched its own sportsbook, Fox Bet. This marks a significant push for NFL gambling content by the media companies. Earlier, ESPN would not use the names of NFL teams in gambling content, but now it has partnered with the prestigious Las Vegas casino operator, Caesars. The NFL has also surveyed its fans’ preferences regarding betting and has taken measures to ensure that the content is geared toward fans.