SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
MGM Resorts International announces its second major partnership of the week, confirming that its has secured a ‘first of a kind’ sports betting arrangement with National Basketball Association (NBA).
NBA Chief Commissioner Adam Silver and MGM Resorts President & CEO Jim Murren announced the partnership this afternoon in New York city.
For the first time, the NBA will open its commercial network to sports betting, becoming the ‘first US pro-league to partner with a gambling operator in MGM’.
“This historic partnership will bring millions of NBA fans and MGM Resorts guests together through an innovative collaboration that will open new and exciting opportunities to engage with each other’s world-class brands and products” details a joint-corporate statement.
The partnership will see MGM gain the official rights to NBA and associated WNBA data and branding, ‘on a non-exclusive basis’, across MGM Resorts’ land-based and digital sports betting offerings throughout the US.
“As the landscape for sports betting in the U.S. continues to evolve at a rapid pace, MGM Resorts is a proven gaming leader for us to work with on this groundbreaking partnership,” said Silver.
“Our collaboration will result in the best possible gaming and entertainment experience for consumers through the use of accurate, real-time NBA and WNBA data, and our collective efforts to maintain and enhance the integrity of our games.”
From a marketing perspective, MGM’s resorts and sports betting products will be promoted across NBA’s media assets including NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA social media platforms.
The NBA and MGM Resorts will also work together to create a series of integrations across NBA platforms, including a special digital content series.
Updating stakeholders, Jim Murren outlined that MGM would emphasise the protection of the NBA and WNBA’s games and athletes.
“The NBA has always been an innovator at the forefront of sports evolution, and MGM Resorts is thrilled to partner with the league to revolutionize sports betting in the United States,” said Murren.
“Integrating the NBA’s assets and having official NBA data showcased across the MGM Resorts platforms will provide us with a distinct advantage and instil more confidence in knowing that our data is directly from the NBA.”
