NBA taps William Hill as 4th sports betting operator ahead of 2019-20 season
The NBA named sportsbook operator William Hill a league-authorized betting operator on Wednesday, adding to its growing stable of gambling partnerships ahead of its 2019-20 season.
The deal grants William Hill the right to use official NBA league data and branding while taking bets at its physical sportsbook locations and on its mobile app. In addition, the NBA will promote William Hill’s offerings across its digital platforms.
“William Hill is a globally respected brand that has set an early standard for sports betting in the U.S. market,” Scott Kaufman-Ross, NBA senior vice president and head of fantasy and gaming, said in a statement. “We are delighted to partner with William Hill as they grow their business throughout the U.S. and are excited to work together to provide a world-class experience to our fans.”
For the NBA, the William Hill partnership marks the fourth deal of its kind. The league previously named MGM Resorts, The Stars Group and FanDuel as authorized betting operators on a non-exclusive basis.
The NBA’s deal with MGM Resorts marked the first time that a major U.S. sports league reached a partnership with a gambling company. Unlike the William Hill partnership, the NBA’s agreement with MGM includes betting rights to the NBA Summer League and the WNBA.
Financial terms for the William Hill partnership were not disclosed. MGM Resorts is said to have agreed to pay $25 million throughout the three years of the agreement for the right to use NBA league data.
“We are proud of this creative partnership that benefits our customers and our partners nationwide while promoting legalized wagering on NBA events. The NBA has been a leader in recognizing the benefits of a legal sports betting market,” Dan Shapiro, William Hill, U.S. vice president, said in a statement. “We expect this to be the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the league and its teams.”
Several professional leagues have explored gambling integrations in recent months after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on sports betting in 2017. William Hill has a similar deal with the NHL.
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The NBA supports the creation of a federal regulatory framework for the sports betting industry rather than state-by-state rulings. League attorney Dan Spillane outlined the NBA’s preferred guidelines to New York State legislators in January 2018, that included a proposal for operators to pay leagues a 1% fee of all money bet on their games.