The National Hockey League has united with MGM Resorts to form its first official betting partnership.

The partnership, which was unveiled today by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and MGM Resorts Chairman & CEO Jim Murren in New York City, places a key focus on the data produced by both the NHL and MGM.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman commented on the new deal: “The new sports betting landscape presents a unique opportunity for fan engagement utilising technology and data that are exclusive to our league.

“As a leading global gaming operator and entertainment company, MGM Resorts is the perfect partner for us to begin our transformative entry into this space. Fan engagement, technological advancement and innovation are paramount to our progressive approach and will be at the forefront of everything we do.”

As an official sports betting partner as well as an official resorts partner of the NHL, MGM Resorts will have the ability to market many of MGM Resorts’ world-class products and services to the League’s millions of fans via the League’s various media platforms and events. MGM Resorts will also use official NHL branding to amplify the relationship across a range of the company’s land-based and digital sports betting offerings within the United States.

MGM Resorts Chairman and CEO Jim Murren added: “We couldn’t be more excited to enter into this historic partnership with the NHL. The League is home to some of the most exciting action in sports, and we are thrilled to join with them to create new immersive and exhilarating experiences for hockey fans.

Combining MGM Resorts’ world-class sports betting operations and technology with the NHL’s top-level competition, iconic brands and cutting-edge data will further transform the rapidly growing sports betting marketplace and solidify our position at the forefront of the industry.”

As part of the relationship, MGM Resorts will receive access to previously unseen enhanced NHL proprietary game data that will be generated by the League’s state-of-the-art tracking systems currently under development.

Access to this data will allow MGM Resorts to provide its customers with specialised NHL game insights, as well as unlocking new and innovative interactive fan engagement and betting opportunities for its U.S. customers wherever legally available.

MGM Resorts will also reach NHL fans through communications to subscribers from the NHL’s robust fan database that will market MGM Resorts’ portfolio of destination resort brands, as well as promote MGM Resorts’ M life Rewards program, which currently has 31 million members.

In addition, MGM Resorts will leverage promotional opportunities in connection with the NHL’s calendar of marquee events — including the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Stanley Cup Final, NHL All-Star Game, NHL Winter Classic and the NHL Stadium Series — to showcase a variety of offerings across its portfolio.

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