Saints and Pelicans Announce Partnership with Harrah’s New Orleans
The New Orleans Saints and Pelicans on Wednesday announced a new relationship with Harrah’s New Orleans.
Harrah’s will be designated “An Official Casino Partner of the New Orleans Saints” and “A Proud Casino Partner of the New Orleans Pelicans” beginning in 2019, according to a statement.
The partnership between Harrah’s and the sports franchises is a multi-year deal, according to a news release. Harrah’s will be designated an official post-game destination and will include a Saints-branded area on its property, along with developing customized experiences and in-game features for its customers.
“We are proud to align ourselves with a brand such as Harrah’s New Orleans Casino that is an industry leader not only nationally but on a local level as well,” said New Orleans Saints and Pelicans President Dennis Lauscha. “Located in the Heart of Downtown New Orleans, Harrah’s vision for development and commitment to the city mirror that of the Saints and Pelicans and we could not be happier about this partnership.”
Partnerships between sports teams and casinos growing
Caesars Entertainment, the parent company of Harrah’s New Orleans, has been aggressive in creating partnerships with sports teams. The Saints and Pelicans join the Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils as having official relationships with the company
The Saints are the fourth NFL team to partner with a casino, joining the Cowboys (WinStar), Ravens (Horseshoe) and Jets (MGM). MGM is the only one that offers sports betting in a state where teams play (New Jersey), but NFL rules don’t allow MGM to mention sports betting as part of the deal.
Louisiana still working on legalizing sports betting
Louisiana doesn’t currently have legalized sports betting. However, state officials continue to discuss legislation that would allow local residents to join their Mississippi neighbors, possibly as early as next year.
State Sen. Danny Martiny (R-Kenner), sponsored a proposal in Louisiana that died in committee. During a Senate panel in October, Martiny said he that he plans to revisit legalization in the next legislative session that begins in April 2019. He’s hoping the recent success of a state ballot measure to legalize fantasy sports games with cash prizes is a step in the right direction.
Despite being known for New Orleans and Mardi Gras, Louisiana is a socially conservative state. That can sometimes complicate things when it comes to sports betting. State officials call it “gaming” because “gambling” is banned by the state constitution.
As DFS players in Louisiana know, it was a lengthy process to get legislation passed. On Nov. 6, voters in 47 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes finally legalized fantasy sports gaming. Next year, legislators and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board will create the regulatory framework. Louisiana became the 42 state where DFS contests are legal.
Martiny said the bill he plans to propose next year will allow for sports betting at Louisiana’s existing casino properties and could be expanded to include racetracks and off-track-betting facilities. He believes if voters approve, casinos in Louisiana could start taking bets at the beginning of 2020.