Fanatics Reportedly Becomes NFL’s Official Sportsbook Partner After League Went Five Months Without One

The NFL has reportedly brought Fanatics in as an official sportsbook partner after earlier agreements with multiple operators expired. If confirmed, the deal gives Fanatics rights to use official NFL imagery, including the league’s logo, and puts it in the small club of brands allowed to sit next to The Shield.

1. Reports say the agreement makes Fanatics the league’s newest official NFL sportsbook, with an undisclosed payment attached to the right to brand alongside the NFL logo. The deal has not yet been officially announced by Fanatics or the NFL.
2. The NFL reportedly went almost five months without an official sportsbook partner after previous arrangements expired earlier this year. Before that, the league had agreements with DraftKings, Caesars, and FanDuel.
3. Caesars had long been rumored to be considering not renewing, while reports said negotiations with DraftKings and FanDuel continued. That leaves open the possibility that one of those operators could still renew, even as Fanatics appears to have taken the lead.
4. If no other tie-up is announced, Fanatics could end up as the league’s exclusive partner. For a sportsbook operator, that kind of league-level brand placement is not just a vanity badge; it is a direct shot at competing with FanDuel and DraftKings on visibility.
5. Experts expect the partnership to be confirmed shortly before the start of the regular NFL season, which is set to kick off on September 9 with the New England Patriots at the Seattle Seahawks.

Fanatics has also said it will begin monitoring abusive and threatening online behavior from the 2026 NFL season. Separately, Anthony D’Angelo, head of responsible gaming at Fanatics Betting and Gaming, criticized Polymarket and Kalshi as platforms that do not give customers sufficient protection, while arguing that established regulatory frameworks in sports betting continue to prevent a lot of harm.