Gambling on Gaming: Dallas Cowboys Partner with Las Vegas Slot Machine Company

As an official multi-year partner of the Cowboys, Aristocrat Gaming said it will have prominent signage throughout AT&T Stadium year-round—including in-stadium, on the concourse, and in-game branding. It's yet another example of how gaming and sports are becoming more and more entwined—from the new ownership of the Mavericks to micro-betting tech startups right here in North Texas.

For generations, American sports leagues kept their distance from the world of gambling, gaming, and sports betting. But that’s changed in recent years, as gaming aligns more and more with the bottom line of leagues and teams alike.

Last December, NBA Equity took an equity stake in Frisco-based nVenue, whose sports betting platform uses machine learning and AI to create “next play” probabilities and micro-bets for fans watching live. nVenue’s micro-bet predictions have been featured in MLB broadcasts as well.

And last November, Mark Cuban sold majority ownership of the Dallas Mavericks to Miriam Adelson, widow of Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, and her family, amid talk of developing a “casino entertainment district” in Dallas, complete with an all-new arena for the Mavericks.

Today’s news? Dallas Cowboys branding is ka-chinging all over a company’s casino slot machines, and related branding is coming to AT&T Stadium, where the ‘Pokes play their games.

The Dallas Cowboys have signed a multi-year partnership with Las Vegas-based Aristocrat Gaming. [Video still: Aristocrat Technologies]

Cowboys-Aristocrat Gaming partnership

Aristocrat Gaming, whose U.S. headquarters is in Las Vegas, announced that it’s been named an official partner of the Dallas Cowboys under a multiyear partnership with the Frisco-based NFL franchise.

Chad Estis, EVP of business operations of the Dallas Cowboys, said the team is excited to partner with Aristocrat Gaming “to bring even more ways to entertain our fans.”

“We pride ourselves on aligning with world-class partners, and Aristocrat Gaming has been a trailblazer in the gaming industry for decades,” Estis said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to work with the Aristocrat team on activation and branding opportunities throughout the year and to have our Cowboys marks featured on their slot machines nationwide.”

The Dallas Cowboys have signed a multi-year partnership with Las Vegas-based Aristocrat Gaming. [Video still: Aristocrat Technologies]

As an official partner, Aristocrat Gaming said it will have prominent signage throughout AT&T Stadium year-round, including in-stadium, on the concourse, and in-game branding. Additional features will include in-game promotions, digital integrations, and game-day activations at the stadium.

The company said the partnership accentuates what it called a “game-changing multiyear slot licensing agreement” with Aristocrat Gaming and the National Football League.

NFL teams, slot machines, and casinos ‘a natural fit’

The NFL-themed games are available to play at casinos nationwide and have demonstrated proven performance, Aristocrat said. The team-selectable feature on the games allows fans a new way to engage with the Cowboys, Aristocrat Gaming said, while the partnership brings that connection home to AT&T Stadium in multiple ways.

The Dallas Cowboys have signed a multi-year partnership with Las Vegas-based Aristocrat Gaming. [Video still: Aristocrat Technologies]

“We’re proud to be the newest partner of the Dallas Cowboys, one of the world’s premier sports and entertainment organizations with a proud championed history, much like Aristocrat Gaming,” Aristocrat Gaming CEO Hector Fernandez said in a statement. “With the success of the NFL Slots portfolio, we’ve been able to bring the excitement of fan-favorite teams like the Dallas Cowboys to casino floors across the country.”

Fernandez added that the company anticipated “bringing even more innovative experiences to fans through this partnership.”

The head of WinStar World Casino & Resort said the deal is a natural fit.

“As The Official Casino of the Dallas Cowboys, WinStar World Casino & Resort is ecstatic to have Aristocrat Gaming as the newest member of the Dallas Cowboys family,” Jack Parkinson, president of WinStar World Casino & Resort, said in a statement. “The top-performing NFL Slots make this partnership a natural fit and we look forward to bringing new experiences to our patrons as a result of this announcement.”

Aristocrat Gaming is a division of Sydney, Australia-based Aristocrat Leisure Ltd.