The Dallas Cowboys officially announced their partnership with WinStar Casino on Thursday. Jerry Jones and WinStar general manager Jack Parkinson held a press conference to announce their big financial move. The casino will be located in Thackerville, OK, and Jones announced that Dallas will hold “various” team functions at the casino. Financial details were not disclosed but leadership of the Chickasaw Nation Tribe and the NFL franchise touted the agreement as a “league-changing partnership.” The deal between WinStar and the Cowboys marks the first time in NFL history that a casino has been granted official designation as a team’s exclusive partner, granting exclusive use of a team’s logos and trademarks. An amendment passed by NFL owners created the opportunity for casinos to obtain official partnerships with NFL teams.
The NFL has long avoided any association with casino gaming; however after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in May allowed any state to legalize and regulate sports betting, it softened it’s opposition of professional sports’ leagues toward gambling. Since June, regulated sports books have opened in casinos and racetracks in New Jersey, Delaware, Mississippi and West Virginia.
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