MGM Resorts Becomes First Official Gaming Partner of Major League Soccer

USA’s professional soccer (football) competition, Major League Soccer (MLS) has finally went in on the thriving scene of professional sports leagues’ cooperation with some of the world’s biggest gaming operators.

Ever since the introduction of nation-wide sports betting, these kinds of deals have become the norm…

..and MLS just got its big share of the market thanks to the inking of a multi-year partnership with MGM Resorts International, one of the crucial names in the entire industry.

Soccer Gets a Big Backing

This historic alliance has been formed with the idea of MGM Resorts becoming the league’s official gaming partner – the first one in history, at that!

The Las Vegas-based firm has secured yet another hold among US sports leagues, after previous announcements of their ties with Sacramento Kings.

MLS will gain the official sports betting partner in MGM’s t digital venture with GVC Holdings – Roar Digital…

…that will (under the of the agreement) gain access to MLS data necessary for providing fans with information relevant for their wagers.

Also, 100+ nationally broadcast games’ TV signage is included in the agreement, as are MLS-themed promos and sweepstakes, match footage and photography rights.

Exclusive Free to Play Game is Part of the Package

MGM/Roar will cooperate with MLS experts on the development of the exclusive free-to-play game…

…whose main intent is to deepen engagement, drive the adoption of sports betting in regulated states and build a base of potential sports bettors in states that will or should regulate this vertical at some point in the future.

MLS Commissioner, Don Garber, commented on this newly formed partnership:

“Major League Soccer is proud to partner with MGM Resorts, to bring existing and new fans close to our sport in innovative and immersive ways. MGM Resorts is a leader in sports betting, and they recognise the progress of our league and the growth of the sport in the United States and Canada.”

Many Sporting Alignments

MGM Resorts – who has also formed sponsorship alliances with the National Hockey League in November…

…and, more recently, with the MLB franchise, Boston Red Sox, had their chairman and CEO, Jim Murren, provide his opinion on this venture.

He said that MLS offers some of the most exciting sports action in the business and that, through pairing MLS action and real-time data and analytics with MGM’s best-in-class sports betting operations and innovative technology, soccer fans will be truly wowed.

Adam Greenblatt, CEO of Roar Digital – while announcing that this relationship will be amplified by a range of offerings such as the playMGM mobile sports betting app – said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Roar Digital and our customers. MLS is one of the fastest growing professional leagues in the world, and has rapidly established a ionate fan-base throughout the United States. The partnership positions us to be able to offer our players a unique blend of best-in-class product and customer experience.”

Source:

“MLS aligns with MGM in multi-year gaming partnership”, casinobeats.com, March 19, 2019.