NFL wide receiver Davante Adams is certainly making himself at home in Las Vegas. Traded from the Green Bay Packers to the Las Vegas Raiders during the offseason, Adams is making waves both on the field and in Sin City thanks to a new partnership with MGM.
Davante Adams representing MGM Resorts, not BetMGM specifically
MGM Resorts announced on Tuesday that Adams is the new brand ambassador for the company. To be clear, this is not an endorsement specifically of BetMGM, the company’s online sports betting product.
Rather, Adams will represent the entertainment and hospitality side of the brand in marketing campaigns and digital content as well as making appearances at special events across MGM Resorts Las Vegas properties.
“Davante is a class act both on and off the field and has built a strong fan base,” said MGM Resorts International Senior Vice President of Sports and Sponsorships Lance Evans. “We are excited to welcome one of the NFL’s elite players to the family and look forward to his future engagements with our MGM Rewards members.”
Active NFL players promoting gambling are exceedingly rare
This is the first time MGM has worked with an active player in the NFL. Sportsbooks stay away from signing active players in any league to promote the product, so this is an interesting solution to associate an active athlete with the MGM brand without Adams actually representing the sportsbook.
As recently as 2017, players were prohibited by the league from any sort of casino promotion. League franchises were able to partner with regional casinos, but players were strictly banned from individual deals. Players remain unable to bet on football and violations come with strict penalties. Just ask Calvin Ridley.
This is certainly a major step for the sport, but it still appears that Adams will be limited in how his appearances are used to promote MGM properties.
“From day one, the MGM Resorts team welcomed my family and me to Las Vegas with open arms. It’s truly an honor to be the first active NFL athlete to partner with this world-class company and to continue building a legacy in this new city I am privileged to call home,” said Adams.
