The NBA has struck a deal with the Stars Group to create the latest partnership between a pro sports league and a gaming company.
The deal is the first of its kind to involve the Stars Group, the parent company of two NJ gambling sites.
As with the other sports betting partnerships that have come about, the Stars Group deal includes official data and marketing.
What’s in the NBA and BetStars deal
The Stars Group will gain the ability to use NBA logos and branding throughout its suite of digital offerings.
The NBA will promote the Stars Group on all of its relevant media. In turn, both PokerStars NJ and BetStars NJ will promote the NBA.
Matt Primeaux, the Stars Group senior vice president, said in the press release:
“We are excited to partner with the NBA as we continue to execute on our US strategy. This agreement enables us to use official NBA data and league marks, providing a better experience to our customers, while working with the NBA to protect the integrity of games.”
Both of the Stars Group’s brands conduct operations in New Jersey, and BetStars is in the process of licensing for Pennsylvania.
From Scott Kaufman-Ross, NBA’s head of fantasy and gaming:
“The Stars Group is an accomplished global online gaming leader and we are excited to work with them on their first U.S. sports league partnership. This dynamic partnership will be another way to create authentic fan engagement with league logos and official NBA betting data, while leveraging Stars’ global expertise to further optimize the fan experience.”
Strategic partnerships continue to be a corporate fad
The deal is the second gaming partnership for the NBA.
Earlier this year, the basketball league partnered with casino giant MGM Resorts in an arrangement similar to the Stars deal.
However, the drive to find strategic partnerships is by no means limited to the NBA, Stars or MGM. In fact, according to Legal Sports Report, there have been 13 such sports betting deals struck since May 2018.
MGM, for its part, has been the most active gaming company regarding finding hands to shake.
The casino titan needs only to partner with the NFL to count all four major sports leagues as allies, and the company already has one NFL team (the New York Jets) as an individual partner.
NBA and NJ sports betting
However, the NBA’s collaboration with these companies is particularly interesting given the leagues’ history with NJ sports betting.
Up until the PASPA decision in May, the pro basketball league was a staunch opponent of allowing sports betting to proceed. The NBA was one of the leagues that specifically fought New Jersey’s push to legalize sports wagering.
A recent study by the American Gaming Association (AGA) reported that the NBA and other sports leagues are likely to get a little revenue boost of $4.2 billion from legal sports betting as it expands in the U.S.