New Jersey sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, is on the ball — literally.
Not long after securing its first league partnership with the NHL, FanDuel has added “authorized gaming operator” of the NBA to its resume.
The deal marks an expansion of the relationship between the two companies.
Matt King, CEO of FanDuel Group, commented on the news in a press release:
“The NBA was the first sports league we partnered with, and has been an incredible partner ever since. We share a clear view on how we can collaborate to bring basketball fans new ways to engage with the games and players they love. With the expansion of our fantasy agreement and addition of sports betting, we are excited to work together in ways we haven’t before.”
More about the NBA-FanDuel partnership
FanDuel is already the Official Daily Fantasy Partner of the NBA and the WNBA. That partnership remains intact.
FanDuel and the NBA will continue to offer NBA InPlay. NBA InPlay is the mobile fantasy game that allows live play during NBA games for prizes.
But, as part of the expanded relationship, FanDuel will be able to use league marks and logos in their marketing collateral. Furthermore, FanDuel will have access to official NBA betting data for use on its sports betting platforms.
FanDuel and the NBA also have plans to “collaborate on responsible gaming and best-in-class practices to protect the integrity of NBA games.”
Scott Kaufman-Ross, head of fantasy and gaming at the NBA, commented on the expanded relationship:
“The core of our terrific partnership with FanDuel has been focused on innovation around the fan experience, and we are excited to extend it to include sports betting. Together, we have broken new ground in the fantasy world on both the NBA and WNBA, and now with the use of our official NBA betting data, will continue to collaborate on new ways to engage our passionate fans.”
FanDuel wants sports betting to be a fun experience
In an interview on ESPN, King talked about the importance of working with the NBA to advance sports betting in the US.
It is no secret that the major league initially opposed sports betting. Accordingly, it fought to keep PASPA the law of the land.
With PASPA overturned, FanDuel recognizes working together to alleviate the leagues’ concerns is valuable. King said:
“We look at the discussions and partnerships with the leagues as important to make sure as the category evolves that they feel like it’s something that they truly get behind and support as opposed to trying to do something that runs against the grain of what they’re trying to do. At the end of the day, we both believe in the power of improving fan engagement.”
Fan Duel knows that when the fans are engaged and having fun, everyone wins. In fact, it has been having some of its fun lately.
It has successfully pivoted from its purely daily fantasy sports offering into a major player in the NJ sports betting market.
FanDuel Sportsbook’s latest agreement with the NBA further cements the company’s reputation as a gaming company and market leader.