FanDuel slam dunks on the NBA with an expanded fantasy partnership and new authorization for sports betting. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The NBA has added FanDuel to a list of authorized gaming operators who will have access to proprietary league data for sports betting.
FanDuel is the third authorized gaming operator approved by the NBA, following the league’s additions of MGM Resorts this past summer and The Stars Group last week.
As part of the multi-year gaming partnership, FanDuel will be rewarded access to official NBA betting data, as well as league marks and logos that can be deployed across FanDuel’s sports betting offerings.
FanDuel will additionally maintain its role as the “official daily fantasy partner” of the NBA and the WNBA, where it will continue to offer and innovate NBA InPlay, an interactive, real-time mobile fantasy game launched in 2016 that enables fans to play live during NBA games in exchange for prizes.
“Together, we have broken new ground in the fantasy world on both the NBA and WNBA, and now with the use of our official NBA betting data, will continue to collaborate on new ways to engage our passionate fans,” said Scott Kaufman-Ross, the NBA’s head of fantasy and gaming.
In 2014, the NBA became the first major professional sports league to partner with FanDuel and offered the first official daily fantasy basketball game of the NBA on NBA.com and FanDuel.com. In 2017, FanDuel became the official daily fantasy partner of the WNBA, FanDuel’s first partnership with a women’s professional sports league that also included the integration of content and video highlights.
As is the case with all of the NBA’s authorized gaming operators, FanDuel will additionally collaborate with the league on best-in-class practices to protect the integrity of NBA games.
SportTechie Takeaway
The NBA’s non-exclusive gaming deals have enabled it to rapidly expand its tentacles in the sports betting world. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was among the executives in the sports world initially calling for integrity fees, which would have been money paid to leagues as a tax for their data. But the NBA has pivoted as integrity fee arguments have fizzled to instead bring on as many gaming partners as possible. Each one—MGM, Stars and FanDuel—will all promote the NBA while simultaneously working toward responsible gambling practices.
