The New England Patriots Announce Aristocrat as An Official Partner of Gillette Stadium

Details of The Agreement

On Sept. 13, The New England Patriots announced a multi-year partnership with Aristocrat Gaming to make Aristocrat the Official Partner of the Patriots and Gillette Stadium. This partnership will include rights for Aristocrat to feature signage in the stadium year-round including during games and otherwise. It will also include in-game promotions and game-day activations. 

“The Patriots and Gillette Stadium are excited to partner with Aristocrat Gaming and explore many new opportunities to engage with our fans,” said Murray Kohl, Vice President of Corporate Sponsorships for Kraft Sports + Entertainment, the company that manages Gillette Stadium. “We are thrilled to work with their innovative team on multiple activation and branding opportunities at Gillette Stadium throughout the Patriots season, as well as have the Patriots branding featured on their slot machines nationwide.”

Aristocrat recently announced a multi-year land-based slot machine licensing agreement to build NFL-themed slot machines. The license will allow fans to select their favorite team, such as the Patriots, when they play with the slot machines. The NFL-themed slot machines are expected globally. 

“We are ecstatic to partner with the New England Patriots, one of the most successful and legendary franchises in the NFL,” said Hector Fernandez, CEO of Aristocrat Gaming. “We look forward to bringing our NFL-themed slot games to casinos across Massachusetts, providing an opportunity for passionate Patriots fans to experience their favorite team in new and exciting ways.”

There is currently no timeline for when Aristocrat’s partnership with the Patriots or its NFL-themed slot machines will roll out. 

Massachusetts Sports Betting Update

On Aug. 10, Gov. Charlie Baker signed the Massachusetts Sports Wagering Act into Law. The bill allows for up to 15 mobile sports betting operators in the state taxed at a 20% rate; eight of these need to be tied to a land-based partner. There are no promotional deductions allowed and betting on local college teams is prohibited unless the team is in a national tournament.

There will be five retail sportsbooks allowed to operate in the state as well which will be subject to a 15% tax rate. Three sportsbooks already have market access in Massachusetts through their physical casino locations: BetMGM through MGM Springfield Casino, WynnBet through Encore Boston Harbor Casino and Barstool Sportsbook through Plainridge Park Casino. A total of 42 companies have submitted a Notice of Intent to apply for a Massachusetts sports betting license though applications have not opened in the state. FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars are among the frontrunners to receive licenses. 

There is no definitive timeline for when Massachusetts will roll out their sports betting market but given how long the process often takes and the fact that no operators have even applied, we are likely looking at a 2023 launch. 

New England Patriots Week 2 Outlook

The Patriots are leaving Week 1 0-1 after losing to AFC East rival Miami Dolphins. Miami was the favorite and the over/under was 46.5 points. The big question heading into Week 2 is how Mac Jones will fare. He was experiencing back spasms during the game against the Dolphins resulting in X-rays after the game. The scans came back negative but he is listed as questionable for their Week 2 game against the Steelers. 

The Steelers are a 2-point underdog and the Patriots are a -130 moneyline favorite. The over/under for this game is the lowest of all Week 2 totals at 40 points.