BetMGM is set to collaborate with New York Jets players Wayne Chrebet and Tony Richardson as part of its ‘Kickoff With The Stars’ live dealer blackjack event. The event, set to be hosted at BetMGM Casino, will see Chrebet and Richardson hosted at Evolution’s Atlantic City live dealer studio on Thursday 5 September, where fans will be able to interact with the players.
To access the event, players in New Jersey will be required to log onto the BetMGM Casino between 7.30pm and 10pm on 5 September. ‘Kickoff With The Stars’ will feature a dedicated private table to play Infinite Blackjack, with the game able to host hundreds of players instead of the standard seven. Engagement from Chrebet and Richardson is set to include real-time stories and commentary.
On the event, BetMGM VP of Gaming Product & Content Oliver Bartlett said: “By bringing together the star power of Jets legends Wayne Chrebet and Tony Richardson with the thrill of live dealer blackjack, BetMGM is creating an exciting event to celebrate the start of the NFL season. This showcases our live dealer offering and commitment to delivering new and entertaining experiences for our players.”
Evolution North America CEO Jacob Claesson added: “Evolution is thrilled to partner with BetMGM to facilitate an unforgettable live dealer experience with two New York Jets legends to kick off the NFL season. This exciting event showcases our innovative live dealer blackjack and offers players the rare opportunity to interact in real-time with Wayne and Tony while playing. We’re extremely proud to support BetMGM as they continue to push the boundaries of live dealer gaming and we look forward to welcoming new sports enthusiasts to discover the excitement and unique interactions that live dealer games provide.”
Partnerships between operators and sporting figures are fairly common in the gaming industry. However, it has become critical for operators providing products in new verticals, to bring attention and engagement to the product, especially from Gen Z audiences.
Spribe, for example, which operates crash game Aviator (which we discussed in our May/ June issue of Gambling Insider), recently partnered with Brazillian sports star Jully Poca. On its collaboration with influencers, we spoke to CCO Giorgi Tsutskiridze in our June issue of Trafficology, where he called influencer marketing and celebrity partnerships “required tools for connecting with Gen Z consumers.”