MGM signs active NFL player as gambling ambassador

Adams will be featured in MGM Resorts marketing campaigns, digital content initiatives and participate in select MGM Rewards special events at MGM Resorts’ Las Vegas and regional properties.

“Davante is a class act both on and off the field and has built a strong fan base,” said MGM Resorts International Senior Vice President of Sports and Sponsorships Lance Evans. “We are excited to welcome one of the NFL’s elite players to the family and look forward to his future engagements with our MGM Rewards members.”

Adams joined the Raiders this summer after eight seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

During that time, Adams broke the Packers’ franchise record for receiving yards in a single season with more than 1,500 yards. Adams led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2020 and has earned five Pro Bowl selections.

“From day one, the MGM Resorts team welcomed my family and me to Las Vegas with open arms,” Adams said in a statement. “It’s truly an honor to be the first active NFL athlete to partner with this world-class company and to continue building a legacy in this new city I am privileged to call home.”

The 29-year-old played college football at Fresno State and was selected by the Packers in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

MGM Resorts is one of the largest casino operators in the U.S., and the company offers sports betting in Nevada and across the country via its online sportsbook.The NFL tried to keep the gambling industry at a distance for many years prior to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 overturning a federal prohibition on sports wagering outside the Silver State. Now, three dozen states have legal sports gambling.

Last week, MGM Resorts and the Arizona Cardinals debuted the first sportsbook at a National Football League stadium. MGM opened a retail sports betting space at State Farm Stadium.

Nearly one-in-five American adults plan to bet on the ongoing NFL season, according to research from the American Gaming Association.

By Joe Mattia