Online Casino Partners with NHL’s New Jersey Devils

PlayStar, a New Jersey-based iGaming operator, has become the first official online casino partner of the NHL's New Jersey Devils. This collaboration marks one of the few instances in which an online gambling platform has allied with a major professional sports team.

The agreement, announced by PlayStar, is set to bring unique promotions and co-branded experiences for fans during the 2024-25 Devils season. A key feature of the partnership is the “Golden Goal Sweepstakes,” a promotion offering a $10,000 prize to a PlayStar customer during every Devils home game. The prize will be awarded if a goal is scored between the 11:00 and 10:00 minute mark of the second period. Fans must enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win.

 

A Two-Way Branding Effort

The partnership will see PlayStar's branding prominently displayed in both virtual and physical spaces. The Devils' branding will appear on PlayStar’s online casino platform throughout the season, and the casino will feature ice hockey-themed games and leaderboards that offer fans tickets to events at Prudential Center, the Devils’ home arena.

On the other side, the Devils will incorporate PlayStar branding and promotions into their game day experience, including the highly anticipated Golden Goal Sweepstakes, which will be featured at all home games.

Chad Biggs, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships Activation for the New Jersey Devils, expressed the team’s excitement about the new partnership. “The New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center are thrilled to welcome PlayStar as our first-ever online casino partner and sponsor of the ‘Golden Goal Sweepstakes.’ Together with PlayStar, we look forward to enhancing the fan experience with this in-game promotion and creating unique, money-can’t-buy opportunities for fans to enjoy.”

Since its launch in 2022, PlayStar has focused solely on the New Jersey market, working to grow its presence in the state’s competitive iGaming space. Over the past year, PlayStar has struck multiple deals to expand its offerings. These include partnerships with Relax Gaming, Play’n Go, PariPlay, and Wazdan, all of which have helped the operator build a robust online casino library.

PlayStar’s Chief Marketing Officer Jon Bowden noted that this focus on New Jersey made the partnership with the Devils a natural fit. “Having made such significant in-roads into the competitive New Jersey market, we felt a partnership with a high-profile local team would bring even more locally focused benefits to our players,” Bowden said.

 

“We’re thrilled to welcome PlayStar as our first online casino partner and enhance the fan experience with this in-game promotion.”

 

Future of Casino and Sports Deals?

Partnerships between online gambling companies and professional sports teams remain relatively rare, especially in the United States. Historically, sports leagues have kept their distance from gambling, but the landscape has shifted in recent years. As more states, including New Jersey, legalize online gambling, collaborations like this one may become more common.

For PlayStar, the deal represents a chance to further cement its presence in New Jersey, while the Devils gain a new way to engage fans and enhance their in-game experience. Fans of both the team and the casino can expect a season full of exclusive promotions and chances to win significant prizes.