Fanatics Sportsbook has emerged as the NFL’s choice for a new official sportsbook partnership, according to SportsHandle, with the agreement expected to be formalized in the coming days ahead of the regular season.
The slot had sat vacant for more than four months after the NFL’s multiyear agreements with DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars Sportsbook expired in March. Those three operators had held the league’s inaugural official sportsbook sponsorships since 2021, collectively paying more than $1 billion in fees over five seasons for trademark use, media integration, and access to official data.
Under the terms reported by SportsHandle, Fanatics Sportsbook gains promotional rights across NFL-controlled media platforms, the ability to air promotions during game broadcasts, and hospitality access at marquee events including the Super Bowl and NFL Draft. The deal also grants official status to Fanatics’ online casino product, which currently operates in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
DraftKings and FanDuel remain in active discussions with the league to secure their own sponsorships, according to SportsHandle, which cited sources close to the talks pointing to pricing on official streaming data from Genius Sports as the sticking point. Genius Sports, the NFL’s exclusive data distributor, supplies the real-time stats, betting data, and low-latency video feeds that sportsbooks rely on for in-game wagering products, and its exclusive arrangement with the league now runs through the 2029 season.
Without access to that data framework, operators cannot sponsor the NFL or its teams and are barred from advertising during broadcasts. Fanatics’ willingness to move first suggests that hurdle can be cleared, though it leaves open how DraftKings and FanDuel will price their return.
The reported agreement would expand Fanatics’ wagering presence through official NFL promotional rights, broadcast advertising opportunities, and access to major league events. It would also give Fanatics official status for its online casino lineup in the states where that product is available.
SportsHandle’s reporting frames the arrangement as evidence the sportsbook sponsorship category has shifted since its 2021 debut, when the three founding partners collectively paid more than $1 billion in fees over five seasons. With Fanatics now occupying that space and two of the industry’s largest operators still negotiating terms, the coming weeks should clarify whether the NFL’s sportsbook category remains a two-brand contest or opens further before kickoff.
Renata Kovacs has spent the better part of a decade following the regulatory shifts and licensing battles that define how gambling markets open, close, and evolve across Europe and beyond. She came up through the legal and compliance side of the industry before shifting her focus to journalism and analysis, giving her a perspective that sits closer to the operator room than the press box. Her coverage tends to cut through the noise and get straight to what a regulatory change actually means for the businesses and players involved.