The National Hockey League has retained former American Gaming Association executive Sara Slane as a consultant on sports betting issues.
Slane recently left her position at the Washington D.C. trade organization earlier this month to form Slane Advisory, a global gaming strategies firm.
She will advise the NHL and its teams on sports betting strategies and the cultivation of new partnerships in the gaming and sports betting marketplace. She will also advise on current and new gaming legislation, the league said in a press release.
The NHL announced has a sports betting partnership with MGM Resorts International and also has strategic relationships with daily fantasy sports operator FanDuel and William Hill US,.
“Our new partnership with Slane Advisory is another example of our commitment to working collaboratively with the sports betting industry and developing a best-in-class approach to partnerships,” said NHL Chief Business Officer Keith Wachtel in a press release.
Nine NHL teams are located in states with legal sports betting, which will grow to 10 if North Carolina governor Roy Cooper signs the sports betting bill currently sitting on his desk.
“The opportunity is only there for one-third of our clubs right now,” Wachtel told CDC Gaming Reports. “It’s exciting to talk about, but the scale is not there yet. That’s why we’re bringing on Sara. We need someone who understands the business and can help us and help out teams in creating partnerships and evaluating the space.”
Wachtel said Slane’s focus would be on U.S. sports betting opportunities. The NHL has seven teams in Canada, but the country does not offer Las Vegas-style legal sports betting.
“We’re watching Canada closely,” Wachtel said. “We see that market as a good opportunity.”
