The Dallas Cowboys, who compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) East division, on Thursday announced a partnership with WinStar World Casino and Resort, making it the first in the 32-team league to have an official casino designation.

According to Reuters news service…

The Thursday announcement naming the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma-owned and operated casino and resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma the Official Casino of the Dallas Cowboys came from the general manager for WinStar World Casino, Jack Parkinson, and Jerry Jones, owner of five-time Super Bowl champions, the Dallas Cowboys.

New partnership:

Commenting on the new partnership, Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, said, “The Dallas Cowboys take great pride in aligning themselves with the best brands in the world. It is a privilege to stand shoulder to shoulder as partners with such a prominent entertainment brand like WinStar World Casino.”

While sports betting remains illegal in Oklahoma, during the NFL off season, a committee of owners approved relaxed rules regarding gambling promotion. Teams are now able to partner with casinos, and gaming companies can even bid for stadium naming rights. Direct relationships with sportsbooks, however, is still not allowed.

“We are excited about the future of gaming as it relates to the NFL,” said Jones.

PASPA and the future of sports betting:

In a 6-3 decision on May 14, 2018, the United States Supreme Court determined that a 1992 federal law [The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA)] violated constitutional principles by forcing states to ban sports betting under their own laws.

Having struck down the federal ban on wagering outside of Nevada, states are moving quickly to legalize and regulate it. Sports betting is currently legal in 8 states including Delaware, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York (launch pending), Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.

Kentucky and Ohio have bills that have been pre-filed for the 2019 legislative session, while many others have considered legislation this year.

Potential revenue swell:

The notion that billions of dollars in additional revenue from widely available, legal, regulated sports betting will be realized by the NFL isn’t exactly a new one. However, a new Nielsen Sports study commissioned by the American Gaming Association (AGA) offers data to support the supposition.

The league’s annual revenue may increase by $2.3 billion a year as a result of increased spending from betting operators on sponsorship, advertising and data related to sports betting, according to the study.