Two NFL Teams Sign Casino Deals

In 2018 and the early part of 2019, we saw a number of American professional sports teams starting to form partnerships with US gambling interest. This phenomenon comes on the heels of the US Supreme Court overturning the nation's ban on sports betting in the US.

As state after state has been able to pass legislation to legalize sports betting for its residents, sports betting has become a high profile form of adult entertainment. This has not been lost on the owners of US professional sports teams who are looking to get a piece of a sports betting industry that could generate upwards of $200 billion a year in sports betting revenues. That is billion, not million.

The latest partnerships between professional teams and the gambling industry come out of the National Football League (NFL). The timing couldn't be any better with the NFL's regular season scheduled to get underway this week.

Green Bay Packers and Oneida Casino

The NFL's Green Bay Packers have just announced a deal that makes Oneida Casino the team's official casino. There's nothing surprising about this new partnership given the prior relationship that has existed for years between Packers officials and the Oneida Indian Tribe. This sponsorship deal is just another opportunity to take the relationship to the next level and make it official.

According to Louise Cornelius, gaming general manager for Oneida Casino: “Oneida Casino is celebrating our 25th anniversary this year, and we are proud to help mark that milestone by enhancing our partnership with the Packers. As the Official Casino of the Green Bay Packers, we are excited to work even more closely with the organization to offer unforgettable entertainment for fans, visitors and community members,”

Buffalo Bills and Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino

The NFL's Buffalo Bills are owned and operated by Pegula Sports and Entertainment. Senior VP Dan Misko announced this week that the Bills have signed an exclusive casino partnership with Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino. As two of the biggest tourist attractions in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area, the opportunity for cross promotion between the two organizations is tremendous.

On behalf of Seneca Casino, Melissa Free, Sr. VP of Marketing/CMO stated: “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with the Buffalo Bills and expand our relationship with Pegula Sports & Entertainment. Seneca Resorts & Casinos always strives to elevate our guest experience and this partnership brings even more opportunities for play both on and off the field. This is a collaboration of great teams coming together!”