NBA Adds 2nd Sports Betting Operator To ‘Gaming’ Partnership Category

MGM Resorts International has some company when it comes to being a gaming partner of the National Basketball Association. The Stars Group, with its millions of registered customers using its online and mobile betting, poker and casino offerings, is now the second authorized gaming operator of the league.

As is the case with MGM’s NBA deal, The Stars Group will gain access to official NBA betting data as well as NBA intellectual property for use in connection with its digital offerings. The NBA will also be promoting The Stars Group acaross its digital assets, which include NBA TV, NBA.com and the NBA mobile application.

The Stars Group is currently a competitor of MGM in New Jersey, where each are offering online sports betting options. While MGM has a larger global footprint for sports betting, The Stars Group, also a publicly traded company, has plans for nationwide expansion as more states legalize and regulate sports betting within their borders.

This really boils down to the NBA finding new ways to earn money from sports betting operators, while being able to promote the fact that the league’s official data holds some importance. In actuality, companies like The Stars Group and MGM are receiving much of their value from the advertising promised by the NBA as well as the clearance to use team names and logos without fear of receiving a cease and desist letter.

The Stars Group’s deal with the NBA serves as the company’s first U.S. sports league partnership. Perhaps its next step will be to follow in MGM’s footsteps and become an official sports betting partner of the National Hockey League.