Lynnae is a journalist covering the intersection of technology, culture, and gambling. She has more than five years of experience as a writer and editor, with bylines at SlashGear and MakeUseOf. On the iGaming side,...
Read Full BioMyPrize announced on Thursday that 11-time NBA All-Star James Harden has become its first-ever Premier Creator. Harden, who plays for the Los Angeles Clippers, is only the second active NBA player to enter into an agreement with a gambling brand. LeBron James, who signed a multi-year deal to be a DraftKings talent ambassador in February 2024, was the first.
In this new role, the Clippers guard will put his off-court skills to work, as he helps lead MyPrize’s push to merge social gaming, creator-driven livestreaming, and prize-based casino-style play. While sportsbooks and betting promotions get most of the attention, Harden’s partnership with MyPrize is just another example of how deeply gambling culture has become embedded in the modern fan experience. Still, it’s important to note that MyPrize operates as a sweepstakes casino, which differentiates it from traditional gambling operators.
The partnership between MyPrize and Harden comes at a time when sweepstakes casinos are under increased scrutiny. In October, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill banning the platforms, which will go into effect on January 1, 2026. However, MyPrize seems undeterred, turning to high-profile talent and interactive content as a way to build momentum and cultural visibility.
MyPrize says its partnership with Harden, “…marks the first time a major athlete will stream, game, and directly interact with fans through an integrated multiplayer social gaming experience.”
MyPrize Pushes Social-Casino Play Into Mainstream Sports
MyPrize describes itself as “the world’s fastest-growing multiplayer social gaming platform” in the press release announcing its “social gaming partnership” with Harden. The platform offers sweepstakes games and real-time multiplayer rooms, using a dual-currency model. Because players use virtual coins instead of making direct cash bets, MyPrize falls under the sweepstakes or social casino umbrella. And since it doesn’t allow real-money wagering, it isn’t classified as a traditional online casino or sportsbook.
MyPrize is also promoting itself as the first social gaming platform to offer prediction markets, an expansion that pushes the product experience even closer to gambling-style entertainment. The company claims it has more than one million players and has awarded over $1 billion in total prizes.
As part of the new agreement, Harden will stream and co-develop exclusive games, host live multiplayer sessions, and engage directly with users via MyPrize’s creator tools. Harden has this to say about the new deal and how it would allow him to reach fans: “Connecting with my fans has always been one of the best parts of what I do, and MyPrize gives me a whole new way to do that. I can hop on, stream, talk, and play with people in real time. It’s real, it’s fun, and it creates a whole new level of community.”
He went on to say: “MyPrize is at the intersection of culture, entertainment, media, and gaming: everything that moves the world right now. That’s why I’m excited to team up with them. This is the future, and I’m hyped to help push it even further.”
Teaming up with Harden allows MyPrize to stand out in a crowded field by pairing its virtual currency casino with celebrity-led content, which may help turn the sweepstakes casino experience into a form of mainstream entertainment.
NBA Rules Allow These Deals With Clear Boundaries
Given the betting scandals that have dogged the NBA in recent months, one might think that the league would draw a clear line in the sand when it comes to these types of deals altogether. As it turns out, that’s not exactly the case.
The NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) permits active players to endorse gambling-related companies, but only under strict limits designed to protect game integrity. The CBA says that a player may participate in gaming promotions only if the activity is limited to “general brand promotion or endorsement” or to endorsing “betting on non-NBA League sports.”
The CBA goes on to say that any arrangement where a player’s compensation is “determined in any respect by NBA League wagering or outcomes of NBA League games” is prohibited. These rules impact the structure and messaging of endorsement deals.
For example, James’s deal with DraftKings is limited to acting as a “talent ambassador around football and select key tentpole events.” Both Harden’s and James’s deals avoid any NBA-specific wagering themes. In Harden’s case, his deal with MyPrize focuses on entertainment and creator-driven fan engagement.
The clauses in the CBA serve as a blueprint for defining the red lines an athlete can’t cross as involvement in the sports-betting and fantasy gambling sector becomes more common. It provides athletes with a means to participate in these endorsements and partnerships by striking a balance between commercial freedom and the league’s integrity protections.
Sweepstakes Casinos: Legal Classification Versus Reality
MyPrize operates under a sweepstakes/dual-currency model that uses virtual coins instead of cash wagers, distinguishing it from regulated casinos and sportsbooks. This structure is common among social-casino platforms, acting as a gambling loophole that allows these companies to claim a different legal status in many U.S. jurisdictions.
Even with that legal distinction, for players, the experience is often the same as real-money gambling: they play casino-style games, compete or gamble with virtual currency, and, where legal, can redeem their winnings for real money or the equivalent. This duality is what has made them popular and put them under the microscope of regulators and lawmakers.
That grey-zone status between social games and regulated gambling is increasingly being challenged, especially as platforms like MyPrize grow in size and visibility. The law that Newsom signed in October makes it a misdemeanor to operate, promote, or facilitate such sweepstakes games within the state of California. Companies that work with these platforms, including payment processors, platform providers, and affiliates, can also face penalties under the new law, ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 in fines, up to one year in county jail, or both.
Several states, including Connecticut, Montana, and New Jersey, have recently taken action to limit or prohibit sweepstakes-style cash-out platforms, and others are considering similar measures. While sweepstakes casinos are not receiving the same level of scrutiny as regulated prediction markets, like Kalshi, which has sued Connecticut after the state issued a cease-and-desist order, pressure is growing.
The timing of Harden’s partnership means he’s joining MyPrize while the legality of its business model is being actively questioned in many jurisdictions. For the time being, neither Harden nor MyPrize appears to be concerned about regulatory headwinds as they move ahead optimistically.
Instead, they’re focused on the potential of the platform. As the Founder and CEO of MyPrize, Zach Bruch said: “MyPrize has been building something truly special: a completely new way for players and creators to connect.”
Harden’s partnership with MyPrize won’t change sports culture overnight, but it does shine a brighter spotlight on sweepstakes casinos, introducing them to fans who otherwise may have never sought out this kind of gambling-style entertainment.
