Taking All Bets: MGM Resorts Become The First Partner With NBA And WNBA In Sports Gambling

The NBA and WNBA are all in on sports gambling. The two leagues will now share official data with MGM Resorts International, a major win for the leagues as they prepare for the anticipated growth of sports betting across the country.

The deal is expected to be in the range of three years and $25 million, per ESPN’s Darren Rovell and David Purdum. With the agreement, the NBA and WNBA become the first major sports leagues to have a betting sponsor.

Adam Silver speaks on the exclusivity of the deal between MGM Resorts International and the NBA. pic.twitter.com/oncXh8O75M

— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 31, 2018

The Las Vegas-based casino giant will pay the NBA for that data to use in determining outcomes of various bets. The NBA’s stance has been that getting accurate stats to bettors is critical so players know what they’re betting on and so casinos will know when to pay out, and MGM Resorts is the first casino to make an arrangement with the league for those numbers.

As part of the partnership, according to NBA.com, MGM Resorts will use official NBA and WNBA data and brand NBA across MGM Resorts’ land-based and digital sports betting offerings throughout the United States. The partnership is the NBA’s first with a sports betting operator in the United States and is the first of its kind between MGM Resorts and a major professional sports league.