Cavaliers’ Quest for a New Online Sports Betting Partner

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It’s been a rocky few weeks for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They started the season with an impressive eight-game win streak, but have slowed down in recent games. Nevertheless, they remain one of the most promising teams in the NBA, with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland leading the way.

Unfortunately for the Cavs, their partnership with FuboTV has come to an end. The operator, which partnered with the Cavs to offer online sports betting, decided to shut down its operations last October 17.

This leaves the Cavs in the market for a new partner as the Ohio sports betting launch approaches.

Fubo Sportsbook Shutdown

The Cavaliers’ partnership with Fubo Gaming is seen as a way to get involved with the burgeoning world of online sports betting. FuboTV is a leading provider of streaming services, and they saw the partnership as an opportunity to break into the sports betting market.

The partnership is expected to be beneficial for both sides, and it is seen as a way to attract new fans to the Cavaliers until FuboTV decided to shut down its sports betting operations after eight months of operations. The company also cease its online operations in Iowa and Arizona.

The move comes as a surprise to many, and it leaves the Cavaliers scrambling for a new partner just as the NBA season is getting underway. While the partnership was not essential to the team’s operations, it is seen as a way to attract new fans and generate additional revenue.

Can Caesars Expand Its Partnership?

The Cavs have announced a partnership with Caesars Sportsbook, which will see the construction of a 3,000-square-foot “sports lounge” within Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. This will be the first retail sportsbook partnership for the Cavs, and it is a significant development in the growing trend of sports betting being integrated into the mainstream.

While the retail sports betting deal seems to be under the plans, there are still no talks about expanding the partnership to include online operations.

Is there Enough Time?

The Cavs may continue looking for their online partner as there are still some slots left for online wagering licenses. However, the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) made it clear that joining the Jan 1 launch is “highly unlikely”.

As per the Ohio Commission spokesperson:

“The Cavs will be able to select a new MMSP (Mobile Management Service Provider), but it is highly unlikely they would be able to start on January 1 due to the lengthy licensing and compliance requirements and the Commission’s current cadence of processing applications.”

A new operator may emerge, but in the meantime, fans can still enjoy Caesars’ retail sportsbook at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse or any of the Ohio online sportsbooks which are already approved.