NBA inks overseas DFS deal with firm not named FanDuel or DraftKings

April 18, 2017 2:08 PM
  • Aaron Stanley
April 18, 2017 2:08 PM
  • Aaron Stanley

The National Basketball Association is broadening its global fantasy reach by teaming up with a daily fantasy games provider to offer DFS games to basketball fans across four continents.

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Interestingly, the provider it has selected is not named FanDuel or DraftKings – the two titans of the U.S. DFS market – the former of which the NBA already has a partnership with and an equity stake in.

Rather, the league announced on Tuesday a deal with PlayON, in which the UK-based operator will become the official daily fantasy provider of the NBA in major markets across Europe, Latin America and Asia.

“With basketball’s global appeal, we are always looking for new ways to bring authentic NBA experiences to our fans across the world,” said Salvatore LaRocca, NBA President, Global Partnerships.  “Our partnership with PlayON provides us an opportunity to deepen our engagement with our international audience, and bring these fans closer to the game.”

The deal projects to allow the NBA to capitalize on the growing global popularity of both its product and daily fantasy sports in markets where the regulatory structure is more concrete than in the U.S., where an ad hoc state-by-state approach is being employed and questions over whether daily fantasy sports is gambling or not remain unanswered in many instances.

Killian Jones, founder PlayON founder and CEO, says that his company’s commitment to regulation, security and to only operate in jurisdictions where the rules of the game are well-defined is appealing to leagues looking to expand into new jurisdictions but concerned about compliance risks.

“Our approach to regulation is resonating well with sporting organizations. We are only going to operate where the regulatory framework is well established and very clear,” he said. “There is no question or ambiguity around regulation or licensing – which puts people at ease.”

PlayON currently draws customers in its free-play DFS contests from more than 100 countries, but it only accepts real-money wagers from the U.K., Ireland and Australia, where it has obtained licensure.

Jones said that the NBA’s worldwide popularity and the frequency and volume of matches will make it a compelling to fantasy players on the other side of the globe.

“The NBA’s global reach and daily fixture schedule make it an ideal fit for daily fantasy. We look forward to working closely with the NBA to deliver innovative sports entertainment experiences to basketball fans around the world,” he said.

Beginning with the 2017 NBA playoffs, the games will be available to fans in markets such as Germany, UK, Italy, France and Spain in Europe; Brazil, Mexico and Argentina; and Australia, Japan and the Philippines in Asia.

The contests will be tailored to local languages, aesthetics and preferences in each particular market.

“The game as it’s presented in Mexico may look slightly different to how it’s presented in the Philippines based on local preferences,” said Jones.

PlayON is a daily fantasy sports provider based in London and has registered customers from more than 100 countries since launching in 2012. Licensed in the UK, Ireland and Australia, it offers DFS contests in football, basketball, golf, cricket, rugby and Australian rules football. It is also the official fantasy partner of the European Tour and the Caribbean Premier League.