Australian gambling and entertainment group Tabcorp has signed a multi-year agreement with the National Basketball Association to show the NBA TV channel in more than 4,400 retail and entertainment venues across Australia.
Tabcorp will also become an authorised sports betting operator of the NBA in Australia and will be able to use official NBA league marks within its platforms.
Tabcorp’s wagering business, TAB, is a multi-channel wagering brand with more than 4,400 venues across Australia. The 24-hour NBA TV network will be shown on Tabcorp’s Sky Channel, its racing and sport broadcasting arm which is shown in these betting outlets.
Tabcorp managing director for wagering and media Adam Rytenskild said: “Our goal is to support the growing appetite in Australia for the NBA, which currently features the strongest contingent of Australian players we have ever seen. The NBA is popular with our customers, and we are proud to establish this partnership to bring fans of the competition a wide range of action in pubs, clubs and TABs.”
Scott Levy, the executive vice-president and managing director of NBA Asia, said: “Tabcorp’s extensive retail network will bring NBA TV to millions of fans throughout Australia. We also look forward to working with Tabcorp on integrity monitoring in their new role as an authorised sports betting operator.” Tabcorp will share data with the NBA to police match-fixing and suspicious betting activity.
Australian stars including the Philiadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons and San Antonio Spurs’ Patty Mills have been driving a resurgence in Australian interest in the NBA. Tabcorp revealed its customers bet more on NBA games than they do on any other sports league, including the domestic football and rugby leagues, and that turnover from NBA bets grew more than 50 per cent in the last five years.
The deal follows a recent similar deal by Tabcorp with the National Football League – the first time the American football league had signed such a wagering agreement in Australia.
