The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) men’s and women’s basketball championships are in full swing, and the conference’s courts have a new name on them: New Jersey online sportsbook, Tipico.
The sportsbook became the official sportsbook partner of the MAAC basketball post-season tournament. This marks the first collegiate partnership for Tipico.
Tipico CCO David Paschkes said the deal was a no-brainer for the sportsbook:
“Basketball is one of the top sports to bet on, with March Madness seeing 30% more money wagered on it than the Super Bowl across the industry. It’s only natural for us to provide these fans with unmatched experiences and create slam-dunk moments as they enjoy their favorite game.”
The move is a controversial one. Especially now as the line between sports betting and college sports seems to be dissolving one partnership at a time.
MAAC partnership offers Tipico fan-focused promotions
While Tipico’s name will be front and center at the MAAC tournament, its influence will go beyond advertising. The company has a series of promotions lined up for fans this weekend:
- One fan from the women’s and men’s championship games this Saturday will be chosen to take a half-court shot for a chance at $1,000. To enter a raffle for the two spots, fans have to scan QR codes at the games.
- New and existing Tipico app users get entry into an exclusive VIP lounge that includes merchandise, TVs, and a food voucher.
- Fans who sign up for the Tipico app at the games will get up to a $250 deposit match. And a $100 no-risk bet for March Madness.
“Taking the game-watching experience to the next level during this championship which leads into one of the most exciting times of year, March Madness, is our way of showing how dedicated we are to the fans,” Paschkes said.
That being said, fans who attend the tournament won’t be able to bet on the MAAC games they’re watching. New Jersey law prohibits bets placed on collegiate games happening in the state.
Tipico’s move raises eyebrows as collegiate sponsorships face pushback
There was a time when conferences singing partnerships with sportsbooks would’ve been unthinkable. Those days are gone. Over the past few years, schools and conferences have signed on with sportsbooks.
However, the move toward mingling sports betting with college athletics has met resistance from legislators. In New York, lawmakers want to ban sports betting promos and ads from all university-owned properties.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal wrote a letter to the American Gaming Association in November, slamming sportsbooks for preying on colleges. Importantly, he noted that college students have a hard time gambling responsibly. Additionally, the younger people are when they start gambling, the more likely they are to face arrest, suicide, and addiction.
“Universities have a responsibility to protect students, and the impact of the decisions made by athletic departments can have detrimental consequences to the entire campus community,” Blumenthal wrote in November. “Allowing gambling companies to continue enticing universities with partnership deals will sacrifice student health.”
