Since the US Supreme Court ruled that the federal ban on sports betting was unconstitutional back in 2018, the industry has boomed. Almost half of the nation’s states have now legalized sports betting with many allowing multiple gambling operators in their newly established markets.
And while there is still a question mark over the possibility of sports betting launching here in Texas, that hasn’t stopped gambling companies from trying to muscle their way into the state just in case.
So here are the state’s top sports partnerships with gambling companies. Deals that could see these companies gain the upper hand if sports betting ever does launch in Texas.
Texas Rangers — Choctaw Casinos & Resorts
The MLB team signed a multi-year deal with Choctaw Casinos & Resorts back in 2019. The deal allows Choctaw to place significant branding at the team’s new home, Globe Life Field. The deal also saw Choctaw named as the ‘Official and Exclusive Casino and Resort of the Texas Rangers’.
This was actually an extension of an existing deal that dates all the way back to 2010, so it’s safe to say that this will likely continue for quite some time. No financial details relating to the deal were released to the public.
Houston Texans — Caesars Entertainment
In August of 2021, the news broke that Caesars Entertainment had signed a deal to become the official casino partner of the Houston Texans. The deal took effect immediately and saw the gambling company launch a free-to-play ‘Schedule Pick ‘Em’ game on the Texans’ mobile app. The deal also saw Caesars Rewards integrated in the team’s promotional channels and on signage in the stadium.
This was a clever move by Caesars as it looks to expand its sports betting operations throughout the USA. Since taking over William Hill, Caesars has improved its reputation as a sportsbook and has become an official sports betting partner of the NFL. If Sports betting becomes legal here in Texas, Caesars is in a very good position to attract a large segment of the NFL-watching public.
Dallas Cowboys — Winstar World Casino and Resort
The Dallas Cowboys made history off the field in 2018 when the franchise signed a deal with Winstar World Casino and Resort in Oklahoma. The team became the first franchise in the NFL to have an official casino partner.
The deal granted the casino the use of Dallas Cowboys logos and marks and resulted in a Cowboys themed bar and restaurant at the casino.
Dallas Mavericks — Betway
European gambling company Betway has invested heavily in the US in recent years and 2021 saw the company sign a deal with the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. Like Caesars’ deal with the Houston Texans, this was a clever move by the sports betting company that saw it named as the team’s ‘Official and Exclusive Free-to-Play Partner’.
This is perhaps the one deal of all those mentioned on this list that was done solely with a view to the state legalizing sports betting at some point in the future. It’s a big gamble by Betway and only time will tell if it pays off.
The announcement follows Betway’s partnership with five other NBA franchises earlier in the year.
Houston Rockets — DraftKings
In 2021, DraftKings agreed a deal to buy Golden Nugget Online Gaming from Rockets’ owner Tilman Fertitta. As part of the $1.56 billion deal, DraftKings became the official fantasy sports and iGaming partner for the team.
At the time of the announcement, DraftKings stated that if sports betting is legalized in the state, it intends to build a retail sportsbook at the Toyota Center. Given its position as one of the most reputable sportsbooks in the USA, the company is sure to hit the ground running should that happen.
The confidence that the major sports betting operators have shown in the legalization of sports betting here in Texas is interesting. This is particularly true given that any potential industry launch won’t come until 2023 at the very earliest. The very fact that these companies are willing to invest so heavily in the state and so early just shows how much they expect sports betting to be worth here.
Time will tell if their gamble pays off.
