NHL joins MGM in organizing hockey official sports betting

The National Hockey League has selected MGM Resorts International as the official sports betting partner in the United States, as more and more states legalize sports betting.

The deal follows a Supreme Court ruling in May 2018 overturning a law barring most states from offering sports betting. In the United States, illegal sports games range from tens of billions to hundreds of billions of dollars a year.

The October 29 agreement gives MGM non-exclusive rights to use team and league logos and branding equipment, as well as real-time game data developed by the NHL. Data is a key factor in these relationships, as some sports bettors want the most up-to-date and detailed statistics to measure their chances of success.

Casinos and other organizations that are licensed in various states to manage sports betting do not require a partnership with major sports leagues. However, the protection of trademarks and copyright, access to raw and real-time data and other intellectual property limitations will give signatories a boost.

Under its agreement with MGM and all other casinos, the NHL could collect more than $ 200 million in additional revenue, according to a Nielsen report commissioned by the American Gaming Association earlier in the year. Owners and players will share 50-50 money, according to the NHL.

The agreement is for a fixed amount and the NHL will not receive income based on the size or number of bets placed.

In addition to becoming the NHL's official gaming partner, MGM will become the resort's resort destination. This partnership gives MGM a valuable marketing asset for promoting hockey betting at its stations by enabling the use of team and league branding strategies. The company has 20 resorts, including 14 in Las Vegas.

This is the second sports league contract with MGM, which announced on July 31 an agreement with the National Basketball Association, valued at $ 25 million over three years.

In May 2018, the Supreme Court overturned the Protection of Amateur and Professional Sport Act, passed in 1992, which banned most states from allowing sports betting. the issues of the social game. This included Nevada, which had legal pooled sports bets and handled nearly $ 5 billion worth of bets in 2017.

Since the decision of the Supreme Court, Delaware, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey and West Virginia have legalized sports betting, and some analysts expect two more tens of people follow.