Fubo Gaming Announces Deals for Sports Betting Access Rights in Four States

Posted on: February 12, 2022, 09:10h. 

Last updated on: February 12, 2022, 06:15h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

It’s been a big week for Fubo Sportsbook. The sports betting operation of sports-centric streaming service fuboTV announced deals granting them access to licenses in four states.

Fubo deals
Fubo Sportsbook announced deals this week giving them access to sports betting licenses in four states. In Ohio, Fubo secured rights to a license by extending its partnership with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. (Image: Business Wire)

On Thursday, Fubo Gaming said it reached a new deal with Caesars Entertainment that gives the sportsbook rights in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri. It’s the second agreement between the fuboTV subsidiary and the Las Vegas-based gaming giant. Previously, the two inked a pact giving Fubo Sportsbook access in Indiana and New Jersey.

Fubo Gaming President Scott Butera said in a statement that the company was excited about the extension of the Caesars relationship. In particular, he noted that the three states all have “passionate fan bases,” especially around college sports.

Louisiana would likely be the first state to launch among those three states, as online sports betting went live there on Jan. 28. Mississippi allows sports betting, but only at casinos. Meanwhile, sports betting is not yet legal in Missouri, although legislation has been filed to address that.

Cavs Extension Gives Fubo Ohio Access

Earlier in the week, Fubo Gaming announced an access deal for Ohio, thanks to a partnership with the Cleveland Cavaliers. That deal extends a marketing partnership Fubo secured with the NBA franchise in October.

Besides rights to a sports betting license, the deal also includes a 3,000-square-foot lounge inside the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Cavaliers arena. Fans who go to the lounge will receive special bonuses and incentive offers while watching NBA games and other sporting events.

The Cavs are at the forefront of sports innovation and consistently create highly engaging fan experiences,” Butera said. “This partnership provides Fubo instant access to a highly attractive customer base.”

Ohio lawmakers approved a sports betting bill in December, and Gov. Mike DeWine signed that into law. It gave the state’s professional sports teams access to mobile and retail sportsbooks licenses.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission is currently reviewing public comments for its draft regulations. The law calls for sports betting to launch in the Buckeye State by Jan. 1, 2023. Commission officials do not expect to accept license applications until later this summer at the earliest.

Where Fubo Sportsbook has Deals

Based in Chicago, Fubo Gaming now has access to licenses in 10 states. It’s currently operational in Arizona, where it’s a partner with the Ak-Chin Indian Community, and Iowa, where it has a skin with the Casino Queen.

Besides Caesars, Fubo also has a market-access deal with The Cordish Companies to offer sports betting in Pennsylvania.

Last month, the sportsbook signed an access agreement with the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer and the Houston Dash of the National Women’s Soccer League. The deal, according to Sportico, is one of the most lucrative for an MLS squad.

Should Texas lawmakers grant sports franchises the rights to betting licenses, the Fubo-Dynamo deal would be worth $178 million  However, currently there is no bill before the legislature there to legalize sports betting.