NFL franchise owners have voted in favor of allowing retail sportsbooks to operate on stadium grounds beginning from the 2023 season.
As reported by The Athletic, the owners voted through the motion at the latest NFL owners’ meeting on Monday. The move would bring sports betting to a wider breadth of NFL stadia from September, as well as encourage more betting on matches.
Of course, this would only bring retail sports betting to stadia within legalized sports betting states, meaning that it would affect 17 franchises. Meanwhile, other owners may have passed through the motion to future-proof themselves should other states such as Texas, Florida and California legalize sports betting in the years to come.
Currently, only the Washington Commanders have a retail sportsbook on its grounds after Fanatics marked its debut in the sports betting market in the US. However, The Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants and Jets have sportsbooks just outside of their respective stadia.
This move also serves as a continuation of the NFL’s huge U-turn on gambling, given its fierce opposition to sports betting expansion in the years prior to the repeal of PASPA.
Since then, the league has opened up to the sports betting industry, with both the league and its franchises signing partnership deals with sportsbooks and embracing the industry.
Though allowing retail sportsbooks on stadium grounds during game times is a significant move, it is also worth noting that most players bet using online and mobile sportsbooks.
But it certainly shows that the NFL and sports betting relationship is growing by the year as the league sees more opportunities for growing revenues.
