Monday morning, the NHL announced a formal agreement that MGM Resorts would become the official betting partner of the NHL.

MGM Resorts also becomes the resorts partner of the NHL with the deal.

“The new sports betting landscape presents a unique opportunity for fan engagement utilizing technology and data that are exclusive to our League,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a release. “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.”

MGM Resorts will be provided with previously unseen NHL game data used by the NHL’s tracking systems. Fans can use that data to bet in eligible states.

Some of that data will likely be injury reports, and Commissioner Bettman said that the NHL will keep to its “upper-body”/”lower-body” designation instead of the injury report system that the NFL uses to helps fans who bet and play fantasy football.

“Our players tend to play injured. I don’t think we’re interest in changing our injury reports.” – Bettman on adopting NFL-style injury reports.
Says it’s a safety issue. That opposing players will target players who are playing hurt, if they know the exact injury.

— Mark Spector (@SportsnetSpec) October 29, 2018

Back in July, the NBA formalized a deal with MGM Resorts wherein the NBA and WNBA shared data with the company so bettors could be more accurate.

Currently, sports gambling is legal in five states: Nevada, Mississippi, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Delaware.

In September, DC Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans introduced a bill that would legalize sports betting in the District.

With the National Harbor a mere three-hour walk away, sports betting in DC is so close, yet so far.

MGM Resorts Chairman & CEO Jim Murren says you can walk from National Harbor to a Capitals game. OK then.

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) October 29, 2018

The entirety of the NHL’s press release on the new partnership with MGM Resorts can be found below.

NEW YORK (Oct. 29, 2018) – The National Hockey League (NHL) has formed a groundbreaking, multi-year strategic relationship in the sports betting category with MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). The announcement naming MGM Resorts the NHL’s first official sports betting partner was made today by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and MGM Resorts Chairman & CEO Jim Murren in New York City.

“The new sports betting landscape presents a unique opportunity for fan engagement utilizing technology and data that are exclusive to our League,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. ”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.

“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,” said MGM Resorts Chairman & CEO Jim Murren. “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 specialized 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.

For information regarding responsible gaming, visit https://www.mgmresorts.com/en/gamesense.html.