Fanatics Expands NFL Partnership into Sports Betting and iGaming
The multi-year agreement names Fanatics Sportsbook and Fanatics Casino as official NFL partners, broadening the operator's commercial scope across sports betting and online casino verticals.
Fanatics Betting and Gaming has secured an official sports betting partnership with the NFL, strengthening its position ahead of the 2026-27 season as operators face growing competition from prediction markets and increasingly interconnected betting platforms.
The multi-year partnership gives Fanatics access to premium NFL media inventory, including in-game advertising and sponsorship opportunities across the league’s media network.
Fanatics Sportsbook and Fanatics Casino will also gain access to NFL hospitality and premium fan experiences, including Super Bowl assets, VIP opportunities at major league events and other fan engagement initiatives.
Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
The partnership builds on Fanatics’ existing relationship with the NFL. In April, the company signed a multi-year agreement to become the league’s official on-site retail partner.
“Fanatics and the NFL have built a truly collaborative, cross-functional business together, and this partnership is a testament to that growth and a look to the future,” said Gary Gertzog, President of Business Affairs at Fanatics.
International Expansion Comes Into Focus
The agreement comes as the NFL continues to expand its international presence.
The 2026-27 season will feature a record nine regular-season games outside the US, including a Week 1 clash between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, marking the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia.
The league will also stage games in Brazil, France, Spain, Germany, Mexico and the UK.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has also indicated that the league could eventually have a franchise based outside the US. Speaking to German outlet RTL/ntv, Goodell said he expects an international city could eventually host a Super Bowl if it becomes home to an NFL team.
For Fanatics, international opportunities are also developing. In June, the company was reported to have entered a joint venture with Momentum Group, the UAE’s first gaming licensee.
The UAE currently permits one sports wagering licence holder per Emirate, although Fanatics has not confirmed when it intends to launch online sports betting in the market.
Fanatics Still Chasing the Market Leaders
Fanatics Sportsbook launched in 2024 following the acquisition of PointsBet US assets, but the company remains behind the two dominant US sportsbook operators.
Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin previously acknowledged that the business remains a “distant third” in the online sports betting market behind FanDuel and DraftKings.
Rubin has also yet to outline plans for a major European sports betting expansion, despite Fanatics continuing to grow its wider global sports business.
At the CAA World Congress of Sports in April, Rubin said Fanatics expects to generate around $3 billion in NFL-related sales this year, while avoiding specific commitments on international gambling expansion.
NFL International Push Could Benefit Fanatics
The upcoming NFL season could provide Fanatics with opportunities to engage fans across its retail, media, casino and sports betting operations.
“The league is reaching more fans across more countries each year, and we believe that our global scale and expertise in merchandising and retail operations set us up perfectly to super-serve the fan experience across these coveted, marquee sports moments,” Gertzog said.
The season will culminate in February when SoFi Stadium hosts the Super Bowl for the second time.
California’s continued prohibition of traditional sports betting could also create opportunities for prediction markets around the event. Kalshi recorded more than $1 billion in trading volume for Super Bowl 60, highlighting the growing scale of the sector.
Fanatics entered the prediction market space last December with the launch of Fanatics Markets.
Prediction Markets Reshape US Betting Landscape
The emergence of prediction markets has added another layer of competition to the US betting market, with operators increasingly looking for ways to acquire and retain customers across multiple products and channels.
Fanatics and its major rivals are developing broader “super app” strategies designed to connect sports betting, prediction markets, media, gaming and other sports-related experiences.
The NFL previously held separate sports betting partnerships with Caesars, FanDuel and DraftKings, with those agreements expiring this spring.
It remains unclear whether any of the three operators will renew their agreements with the league.
While several MLB clubs have established relationships with prediction market operators, the NFL and its teams have yet to announce a partnership with a company operating in the sector.
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