Hard Rock Bet Becomes Official Sportsbook of the Buccaneers

Hard Rock Bet is tightening its grip on Florida’s sports betting market. 

The Sunshine State’s only online sportsbook has reached a deal to become a sponsor for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It will make Hard Rock Bet the official sportsbook of the team, and allow it to offer exclusive deals for Bucs’ fans. The agreement means the team-related promotions will be available when the season kicks off in a few weeks.

“Hard Rock Bet has quickly emerged as an essential gameday touchpoint for our fans,” Buccaneers CCO Atul Khosla said of the deal. “This partnership brings the best of both worlds — exclusive opportunities and unique in-game app experiences — giving fans more ways to engage, whether they’re watching from home or cheering from their seat at Raymond James Stadium”.

The sponsorship is the latest in a long line of in-state deals the Seminole-owned sportsbooks have made. It has reached similar deals with the state’s two other NFL teams, the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars, as well as the Miami Heat, Florida Panthers, and the legendary Daytona International Speedway.

Hard Rock’s expansion hasn’t been limited to Florida. The sportsbook recently launched in Colorado, which brought its US market total to nine.

Seminole Tribe Not Taking Any Chances

Despite its success in Florida, Hard Rock Bet's monopoly over the market remains under fire. Opponents have called the state’s gaming compact with the tribe illegal and a misinterpretation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. They were able to delay Florida’s sports betting launch by two years as court battles played out, but the initial effort was eventually defeated.

A few months ago, a new lawsuit challenging the gaming compact was filed in a Florida circuit court. A group called Protect the Constitution LLC accuses the state of ignoring a constitutional requirement to conduct a public vote before expanding gambling in the state. The state has requested that the lawsuit be dismissed, but a ruling has yet to be made.

Hard Rock isn’t taking any chances on the gaming compact potentially being overturned. With its ever-growing list of in-state sponsorship deals, the sportsbook is ensuring it establishes a massive foothold before rivals could potentially enter the market.