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In the past, sports teams have tried to make it clear that an affiliation with gambling is prohibited. In fact, there were many debates over the combination of the two in past years. Now, things seem to be changing quickly. In fact, some sporting companies are seeking a strategic partnership with gambling websites. It could be because how lucrative gambling has proven to be over the past few years. Legislators have taken notice and now it seems like everyone wants a piece of the proverbial gambling pie.
Now the WNBA’s New York Liberty has signed an agreement to sponsor Foxwoods Resort and Casino. The team will prominently display the casino’s logo on all players’ jerseys. The jersey is an advertising advantage that many teams have used over the years, but this is the first time it is opting to promote a gambling facility in the US. Normally, casinos outside the states have used this type of sponsoring but the US has held back. Most likely it was because of the illegal nature of the hobby, but now things are quickly changing. It seems that one US state after another is pushing for some form of legalized gambling and that is completely changing the market’s view of the hobby.
Gaming analyst Steve Schwartz confirmed that online casinos are moving into the world of sponsorship quickly—and that includes sports teams. The Liberty played recently in Connecticut and advertised at the Mohegan Sun arena. This is the first of hopefully many successful events that are going to be dually promoted via a sports team and a gambling arena. Expect more and more casinos to capitalize on the possibilities and look to alternative methods of marketing. Sporting events are million-dollar businesses and that means that they can only benefit from promoting their games at sporting events where there are hundreds, maybe thousands in attendance.