FOX Bet, the product of the first-of-its-kind alignment between gambling operator The Stars Group and FOX Sports, has secured another major partner as it is looking to cement itself in the US sports betting field, which has been humming with activity since last year’s historic strikedown of the long-standing PASPA ban.
News emerged Tuesday that FOX Bet has joined the Authorized Gaming Operator program of Major League Baseball and will be able to use official MLB data feed and league marks, among other benefits.
Financial details about the deal were not disclosed. However, the involved parties announced that as part of their multi-year agreement FOX Bet will become an Authorized Gaming Operator of MLB in the United States. As such, the online sports betting business will be able to benefit from official data feed, including real-time game statistics, and league marks provided by the major baseball league to build “unique and engaging gaming products” around baseball, one of the most popular sports across North America.
Earlier this year, FOX Sports, a division of American broadcasting giant Fox Corporation, and Canadian gambling operator The Stars Group, which recently revealed an $11 billion merger with Flutter Entertainment, announced that they have inked a media and athletic gambling partnership that enabled both companies to enter the US sports betting space.
The alignment provided FOX Sports with an experienced sports betting partner and The Stars Group with a popular media brand to help it in its effort to delve into the nascent but highly lucrative regulated US wagering market.
Early in September, the FOX Bet app went live in New Jersey and neighboring Pennsylvania almost simultaneously and right in time for the NFL Kickoff Game.
Fourth Authorized Gaming Operator
FOX Bet has become MLB’s fourth Authorized Gaming Operator since the May 2018 annulment of the federal ban on athletic gambling. The Stars Group’s US sports betting operation joins MGM Resorts International, DraftKings, and FanDuel as official data licensees under MLB’s Authorized Gaming Operator program.
MGM entered the US betting field through the formation of the Roar Digital joint venture with Isle of Man gambling group GVC Holdings. As for DraftKings and FanDuel, their experience in daily fantasy sports enabled them to smoothly direct their attention to the sports betting space and swiftly establish their brands as market leaders in some of the states where athletic gambling was legalized.
FOX Bet’s partnership with MLB was brought to surface just a week before the October 22 start of the 2019 World Series. FOX Sports is a televised partner of MLB and has broadcast the World Series in every season for nearly two decades.
Commenting of their deal with the baseball league, FOX Bet CEO Robin Chhabra said that “having a partnership with MLB enables us to use official MLB data and league marks, providing a better experience for our customers and comes just in time as the League Championship Series and the World Series kick into high gear.”
MLB Executive Vice President, Gaming & New Business Ventures Kenny Gersh added that “adding The Stars Group and FOX Bet to our authorized gaming operator program continues our vision for ensuring we are serving fans with opportunity and choice.”
Mr. Gersh added that their official data feed and league marks “will enable The Stars Group to build unique and engaging gaming products around our sport.”
Source: FOX Bet Strikes Multiyear Deal With Major League Baseball, PRNewswire.com
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