NFL Names Caesars Entertainment as League's 1st Official Casino Sponsor

The National Football League announced an agreement Thursday with Caesars Entertainment Corporation to become the NFL's first casino sponsor.

"We couldn't be more excited to work with one of the world's largest gaming and entertainment companies," said Renie Anderson, Senior Vice President, NFL Partnerships, Sponsorship and Consumer Products. "Combining the NFL with Caesars' expertise in world-class entertainment will provide our fans unique experiences both here in the United States and abroad."

The deal, which starts with the upcoming NFL playoffs, is focused solely on the company's casinos and doesn't include sports betting or daily fantasy games.

Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg reported it's a three-year contract worth around $30 million annually.

Caesars Entertainment already possessed contracts with seven NFL teams—the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles—and will be included in 2020 NFL draft events in Las Vegas.

Mark Frissora, the company's president and CEO, released a statement as part of the first-of-its-kind NFL deal:

"All of us at Caesars Entertainment are thrilled to be the first-ever casino partner of the NFL, the most prominent sports league in North America. Combining the league's 180 million fans with our 55 million Total Rewards loyalty program members will expose millions of people to the exclusive and exciting year-round opportunities at our properties."

In May, after the United States Supreme Court voted to strike down a 1992 federal law that prohibited sports betting, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league was focused on "protecting the integrity of our sport" and working to "ensure no improper influences affect how the game is played on the field."

"These efforts include supporting commonsense legislation that protects our players, coaches and fans and maintains public confidence in our games," he said.

Senators Charles Schumer (D-New York) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) introduced a bipartisan bill in December to give the federal government oversight on sports gambling. NFL Executive Vice President Jocelyn Moore released a statement in favor of the proposed legislation, per ESPN.com:

"The threats posed to the integrity of sporting contests cannot be confined within state borders. Without continued federal guidance and oversight, we are very concerned that sports leagues and state governments alone will not be able to fully protect the integrity of sporting contests and guard against the harms Congress has long recognized as being associated with sports betting."

The NFL has yet to support sports gambling at the state level, with seven states joining Nevada in legalizing the practice, which is why its deal with Caesars Entertainment doesn't including betting or daily fantasy.