MLB Signs Deal with MGM Resorts

In the adult gaming industry, everything has a price. Anyone who wants to play can play if they are willing to pay the price. 

Ever since the US Supreme Court lifted the nation’s federal ban on legalized sports betting in May of 2018, there has been a flurry of activity as states and sports leagues scramble to get a piece of what figures to be a very big pie. 

To that end, Major League Baseball (MLB) has just signed a multi-year partnership deal with MGM Resorts, a deal that officially aligns America’s favorite professional sports league with gambling. By signing this deal, sports fans and gamblers can expect to see huge marketing campaigns that tie these two enormous business industries together. 

Not to be lost in the signing of the deal is the fact MGM Resorts has already signed similar deals with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL). In all three cases, both the sports leagues and MGM Resorts can expect a tremendous boost in exposure due to cross-marketing efforts. 

The question on everyone’s mind is how will legalized gambling effect the sports leagues? As a case in point, MLB has spent the better part of five years dealing with “slow play” issues around the league. Efforts have been made to increase the speed of the game, namely by not allowing batters to step outside the batter’s box and putting time limits on pitchers. If the sports gambling industry has its way, all of the recent changes might as well be forgotten. 

Why? Due to advancements in sports gambling technology, gamblers now have the ability to place “live action” or “in-play” wagers on game activities. For instance, gamblers can wager on whether the next batter is going to get a hit or make an out. Slow play actually benefits the gambler who may need more time to make such decision. With the increased popularity of live action/in-play betting, both the leagues and casinos stand to make extra revenues if time is allowed for more wagers. It becomes clear that slow pitchers and batters could actually be viewed as sources of revenue. 

The above example is just one of many potential ways legalized sports gambling could affect professional and collegiate sports. It matters little because the people will speak through state legislatures. Any state that wants to join Nevada, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware down the path of legalized sports gambling will likely be indicating sports adapting to a gambling environment is acceptable.