US media outlets are reporting that 888 Holdings has entered into a partnership alongside National Football League franchise the New York Jets, with the New York Post stating the relationship has already fallen foul of critics.
Relating to the Gibraltar headquartered firm’s Caesars Interactive Entertainment operated New Jersey online casino, which also features the sports betting vertical, it’s the former which joyfully states “a proud sponsor of the NY Jets” upon its home page.
The deal is set to become the first such partnership in the United States between an online operator and an NFL side, with the deal yet more surprising considering the MetLife Stadium based side’s current daily fantasy sports arrangement with FanDuel.
Coming in the aftermath of a relaxing of a longstanding ban on casino advertising, following the repeal of PASPA in May of this year, the agreement is yet to be formally announced despite the proclamation on the 888casino NJ site.
Certain rules do still exist forbidding certain advertising, designed to curb the spread of sports betting to minors, an area which Keith Whyte, the executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, addressed to the NY Post: “There are a lot of kids who go to games, and this kind of marketing may have a big impact on them.
“They will become much more inclined to see gambling as being part of the game.”
Previous moves by NFL franchises have seen relationships agreed with land-based casino, with the Dallas Cowboys aligning its brand with the WinStar World Casino, the first between and NFL team and a casino, before the Baltimore Ravens unveiled a link up with Horseshoe Casino Baltimore.
Beats breakdown: This link-up has certainly raised eyebrows, not least due to the FanDuel DFS relationship the Jets already enjoy, with that same firm also having a sportsbook located on the same Meadowlands grounds which the team occupies for home games.
US sports organisations are increasingly bridging the gap to gambling and gaming following the US Supreme Court’s decision, with Sara Slane, senior vice president of public affairs at the AGA, stating that it “further strengthens the bond between sports entities and gaming companies”. Those comments were made in the aftermath of the NHL’s agreement with MGM Resorts International, following the NBA’s lead back in August. Could the NFL be the next to make such moves?
