The International Game Technology has announced a multi-year agreement with the National Basketball Association (NBA) to further separate its PlaySports betting solution. IGT has become the first business-to-business (B2B) sports betting platform provider to bring official NBA info, marks, and logos to sportsbooks and regional casinos in the US.
According to the partnership agreement, sports betting customers of IGT in the US will be allowed to use their sportsbooks directly, with access to NBA intellectual property, such as official data, team and league logos.
At first glance, the agreement does not seem to be a big game-changer for the industry. Still, it will most definitely have an impact on the revenue generated in regional sportsbooks and venues. Loyal basketball fans and bettors are more likely to wager on genuine NBA deals. The regional sportsbook operators will also be able to provide basketball games with in-play wagers.
IGT is helping the small operators who use their platform by giving them the credibility that will set their sportsbooks apart from the region’s competitors. IGT has effectively become one of the most sought after and respected network providers on the market for casino and sportsbook operators looking to launch online offerings in the state.
About IGT
IGT is a world leader in gaming. They provide exciting and responsible gaming experiences for players across all platforms and regulated categories, from gaming machines to sports betting and digital gambling. The company’s unrivalled solutions offer game experiences that engage players and drive development by providing a wealth of entertaining content, player insights, operations expertise, and leading-edge technology.
They have developed local presence and relations with governments and regulators in over 100 countries around the world, and they build value by upholding the highest service standards.
The Senior Vice President of IGT PlayDigital said that “partnering with the NBA to bring official league data to our PlaySports customers further validates IGT’s seriousness about delivering an unrivaled sports betting solution for the US market and supports the ‘all-in-one’ proposition that we offer.”
He added that considering the rise in the popularity of in-play prop and parlay bets, access to official, real-time NBA data feeds makes it easy for IGT to collaborate with its PlaySports customers to create highly compelling betting menus for sports fans across the country.”
According to the NBA Senior Vice President, the partnership with IGT was the first “out of the box” NBA sports betting solution offered by a platform provider to diverse operators in the US. He also noted that the partnership agreement would provide regional operators across the country with direct access to NBA assets, in order to create the best NBA gaming experience, and consequently engage NBA fans even more.
How Does This Deal Affect Bettors?
In terms of sponsorship agreements that have been signed, the National Basketball Association is one of the most active sports associations in North America. Thanks to their marketing budget, major names in the industry like DraftKings, FanDuel, Unibet, William Hill, and some others have all been able to get a piece of the action.
IGT’s contract with the NBA has effectively helped to provide small operators operating racetracks or regional sportsbooks with a more economical alternative, without having to have the marketing budget of some of the corporations mentioned above. Small operators have the opportunity to be connected to one of the most lucrative and successful sports associations in the country by partnering with IGT.
Operators will now be able to make use of iconography as well as deliver the premium B2B PlaySports app, which has so far achieved great market success and is expected to expand even more as a result of this agreement. It is also expected that IGT will see its market share rise in many states.
