The week in launches and sponsorships (February 5, 2021)
All the latest news in US betting sponsorships and state launches, including BetMGM signing NFL’s Barry Sanders and High 5 Games going live with PokerStars in MI
BetMGM signs NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders
BetMGM has secured NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders as a celebrity brand ambassador, following its mobile betting debut in Michigan in January.
Sanders will star in upcoming BetMGM marketing campaigns and engage with sportsbook users via virtual and in-person events available through the operator’s omni-channel loyalty program M life Rewards.
He will also appear across BetMGM’s social media channels and will represent the brand on radio and television.
Sanders played 10 seasons with the NFL’s Detroit Lions, which the operator also partners with.
He was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1997 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
BetMGM CRO Matt Prevost said: “It’s an honor and surreal moment for all of us at BetMGM to team up with Barry Sanders.
“Adding Barry to the BetMGM family brings a new level of excitement and the potential for us to create unique experiences for our customers,” Prevost added.
Sanders said: “I’m excited to be a part of the BetMGM team and hop on the ride of the fastest-growing sports betting app in the business.
“Typically, I am the one breaking records in Michigan, but it is amazing to see what BetMGM already has accomplished in my home state,” he added.
High 5 Games goes live with PokerStars in Michigan
Game provider High 5 Games has gone live with PokerStars in Michigan via a content deal with the Flutter brand’s online casino.
PokerStars launched in Michigan in January as the state’s first online poker offering.
Players will have access to popular High 5 Games titles like Triple Double Da Vinci Diamonds and Valley of Fortunes on desktop and mobile.
High 5 Games CEO and co-founder Anthony Singer said: “We’re proud of our global relationship with PokerStars and we’re thrilled to be by their side as they expand into Michigan.
“We plan to enter other US markets where PokerStars is already live, including New Jersey and Pennsylvania. And as PokerStars makes their mark in more states, we’ll be right there with them,” Singer added.
The supplier is also live with Golden Nugget and Rush Street Interactive’s BetRivers brands in the Wolverine State.
Pariplay enters US with Rush Street Interactive partnership
European igaming aggregator and content provider Pariplay has entered the US market through a partnership with Rush Street Interactive (RSI) in New Jersey.
Pariplay’s portfolio of slots and live dealer games will be available on RSI’s PlaySugarHouse site and app, including Amazing Riches, Dragons of the North, and Wolf Riches.
The move into New Jersey with RSI will enable Pariplay to elevate its position in the US, the Aspire Global-owned supplier said.
Pariplay MD Adrian Bailey said: “We’re delighted to partner with RSI and further our expansion into the regulated US market by going live in New Jersey with them for the first time in Pariplay’s history.
“Their status as a proven online casino operator in both the New Jersey and Pennsylvania markets is a huge opportunity for our gaming catalog to serve as an extension of RSI’s existing content,” he added.