Phoenix Mercury, Bally’s agree to 15-year sports betting deal

The WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and sports betting operator Bally’s Corporation on Wednesday announced a 15-year partnership that begins Thursday.

It’s the first gaming access contract with a professional women’s sports team, according to a press release. The contract is reportedly worth $66 million, reports Deadspin.

When the team receives a sports betting license from the Arizona Department of Gaming, Bally’s will be allowed to host online and mobile sports betting in the state and operate a retail sportsbook “in the vicinity of Phoenix Suns Arena,” according to the team.

“This agreement represents so much more than a team sponsorship,” Mercury CEO and president Jason Rowley said via the release. “It is a reflection of our shared values and commitment to investing in diversity, equity and inclusion. We could not think of a better way to celebrate the Mercury’s 25th year in the WNBA, and what many consider to be the model franchise.

“Bally’s and the Phoenix Mercury strongly believe that a groundbreaking partnership of this magnitude accelerates the momentum surrounding women’s sports, creates a bigger platform for the Mercury, while delivering fan engagement on an unprecedented scale in women’s sports.”

Bally’s has online sports betting market access to 14 states already and manages 14 casinos in 10 states.

The NBA’s Phoenix Suns already have an agreement with FanDuel to place a sportsbook inside of the teams’ shared home in downtown Phoenix.

Just after Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on April 15 signed a bill to open legalized sports gambling in the state, the Suns and FanDuel announced the team’s arena will open an on-site luxury sportsbook by the start of the 2021-22 season.

Pending approval, the sportsbook will be 6,300 square feet and open daily for patrons to place wagers on sporting events throughout the year. It will include self-service kiosks and a ticket window.

Before the Suns and FanDuel announced their partnership, the PGA TOUR and DraftKings announced a planned sportsbook location that will be open year-round at TPC Scottsdale.

Additionally, Caesars Entertainment agreed to a 10-year partnership with the MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks and will open a retail sportsbook in the plaza outside Chase Field.

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