In recent years, an increasing number of basketball megastars have been transitioning from the court to an entirely different sector — the online gambling industry.
However, this is not something extraordinary, as Basketball players have long had a known relationship with gaming platforms. The thrill of competition and high-stakes betting resonates with many athletes. So, the latest influx of retired basketballers endorsing and investing in PayID casinos, and not only, is a newer trend.
Below, we have highlighted the top basketball players who decided to become an ambassador for online casinos. Let’s have a look!
Shaquille O’Neal and WynnBET
On August 9, 2021, WynnBET made an announcement about its new partnership with Shaquille O’Neal, a former 15-time professional basketballer. The all-star joined the casino as a strategic consultant.
It happened after O’Neal was set to sell his stake in Sacramento Kings, an NBA team. Later, he became the app’s brand ambassador and was featured in a brand ad campaign.
According to the agreement between O’Neal and the casino, the basketballer will create original marketing ad content with WynnBET during the partnership period and attend fan-facing events associated with the app.
He is also required to interact as a guest with the company’s media partners, such as Minute Media, Cumulus Media, and Blue Wire Podcasts.
Charles Barkley and FanDuel
Due to the collaboration between the American online bookmaker FanDuel and the NBA player Charles Barkley, he will become the face of the company in new advertising campaigns.
Another part of the agreement covers the superstar’s special appearances in various TV Shows and podcasts that are connected with FanDuel Group. On top of these, Barkley will also provide exclusive content for the company’s social media platforms.
One special promotion the basketballer became a part of after the agreement was the Christmas Week Tipoff. It enabled sports enthusiasts to celebrate the start of both the Christmas and NBA seasons with over $30 million holiday delivery from “Jolly Ol’ Saint Chuck” – a special promotional campaign run by FanDuel. Gifts were in various forms and covered:
- A free entry for all daily fantasy players into an NBA daily fantasy contest,
- Risk-free bets for sportsbook customers.
- Special “Barkley Boosts” on FanDuel Sportsbook odds for Christmas Day NBA games that even larger wins to players.
Another unique event worth mentioning is FanDuel’s donation of 340,000 meals to the organization Feeding America in honor of Barkley’s retired number 34.
Tony Parker and Fun88
The next betting operator that announced its partnership with a Basketball megastar was Fun88. The basketballer who became the company’s official brand ambassador is the famous Tony Parker. He is a four-time NBA Championships winner and a former San Antonio Spurs superstar.
Overall, Parker had an 18-year NBA career, 17 years of which he spent with the San Antonio Spurs. During his activity, the player took part in 5 NBA Finals and got an MVP award in 2007.
In this collaboration with Fun88, the player will partake in thematic activations and a series of promotions. Even so, the fact that he has over 1 million followers on Weibo, 2 million fans on X (Twitter), and more than 3 million on Facebook is already a significant promotion itself.
Apart from its partnership with Parker, Fun88 also keeps ambassadorial connections with other sporting legends, such as Steve Nash and Iker Casillas.
Giannis Antentokounmpo and Betano
When it comes to Greek power in basketball, nobody can beat the globally famous Giannis Antentokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar. He is commonly referred to as the Greek Freak. Together with Kaizen Gaming, they share more than the Greek heritage — they also share an incredible story of success.
It only took Kaizen Gaming less than a decade to become a global player. Originally a small start-up in Greece, Keizen gaming is now active worldwide — in Europe, North America, and Latin America, 12 countries in total. Just last year, in 2022, the company received the well-deserved Operator of the Year award in EGR awards.
According to the partnership between Giannis and Betano, the player will be involved in branded content, community outreach work, and other events related to the sportsbook.
George Daskalakis, who is the Co-Founder and CEO of the company, said: “While our fields might be different, we see in him all that we stand for and aim our brand and our company to be a top international player with both feet on the ground.”
Kevin Garnett and BetMGM
In 2021, the legendary NBA player Kevin Garnett was signed as the brand ambassador for BetMGM, a renowned digital gaming and sports betting company. They will feature the Hall of Fame power forward in all their upcoming BetMGM promotions, marketing campaigns, fan events and social media.
Already at the end of 2021, Garnett first appeared in BetMGM’s well-received video ad, which was a part of the operator’s “King of Sportsbooks” campaign. Then, in 2022, he became the centerpiece of another commercial called Positivity.
In addition, Kevin is occasionally seen at various fan events and social media promos organized by BetMGM.
In his 21 NBA seasons, Garnett has played for the Brooklyn Nets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics. In 2004, the 15-time All-Star was selected as the Most Valuable Player. And in 2008, Garnett earned the Defensive Player of the Year honors.
