Aristocrat Gaming unveiled the first of its legal sports betting NFL-themed slot machines on Thursday. Slot enthusiasts can look forward to playing just about the time of the first snap of the NFL’s 2023 season.
A new era
This week marked the beginning of NFL training camp as teams gear up for the 2023 season. Just about the time fans tune into the first games, slot players will have a chance to win $1 million progressive on Aristocrat’s new NFL Super Bowl of Jackpots™. It will be the first game released as part of Aristocrat’s multi-year deal with the NFL.
“The unveiling of the first NFL-theme slot machines represents an opportunity to bring the League closer to our fans in a new area,” said Joe Ruggiero, SVP of Consumer Products at the NFL.
Here's your very first look at the new NFL-themed slot machines that will begin hitting casino floors across the country this fall!
— Aristocrat Gaming - US (@aristocratslots) July 27, 2023
Learn More: https://t.co/C6NHTlBDFc#NFL #SuperBowlJackpots #AristocratGaming #SlotMachine #Slots pic.twitter.com/KhRa7Xm875
Aristocrat Gaming and the NFL inked multi-year a deal back in 2021. The primary goal was to launch for the 2023 season. Aristocrat will have an exclusive global license to build land-based NFL-themed slot machines as well as a non-exclusive license for virtual sports games.
Aristocrat will launch additional NFL-themed slot machines later this year and into 2024, The games will include Overtime Cash™, Super Bowl Link™, NFL Kickoff™, Winning Drive™, and Rings of Victory™ – each inspired by a unique element of NFL gameplay and featuring customizable team options.
NFL's double-edged relationship with gambling
The NFL lobbied against legalized gambling for decades. In fact, players were prohibited from attending events held at casinos. The league worried that legalized gambling would lead to game-fixing and corruption. But times have changed.
The NFL has deals with almost every major legal online betting sites including DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars. In fact, in some cases, you can place your bet right at the stadium.
Fanatics was the first to open a physical sportsbook at an NFL stadium. Its sportsbook debuted it January. But more are likely to follow. In March, NFL owners officially voted to allow retail sportsbooks in stadiums to operate on game days, starting in the 2023 season. According to The Athletic, revenue from stadium sportsbooks could be shared with the 31 teams in the league once a certain threshold was met.
Partnerships with legal sports betting companies is generating a growing stream of revenue for the NFL. According to SponsorUnited, the NFL’s sports betting revenue jumped 40% in 2022. More than 25 NFL teams have at least one legal sports betting or Daily Fantasy Sport sponsor.
To maintain the integrity of the game in, the NFL has strict rules for its players and personnel. But in an era where legal sports betting is ubiquitous, the league has had more issues than it anticipated. For instance, ten NFL players have been suspended since April.
“We have concerns about legalized sports betting,” NFL Commissioner Roger said. “We’ve always said the integrity of the game is number one, two and three for us and so we focus on that every single day.”
The NFL will likely reboot its sports betting education program and revisit its gambling policies this year. Meanwhile, NFL players – and everyone else – can look forward to playing on Aristocrats new NFL-themed slot machines without fear of suspension.
