*By Tracey Cheek and Carlo Versano* When football fans of a certain age turn on this weekend's playoffs games and see ads for Caesars Entertainment, its wreath logo emblazoned next to the familiar NFL shield, they might think back to just a decade ago, when the NFL had an actual policy that forbade cities with legalized gambling to run commercials during the Super Bowl. In a sign of how attitudes around gambling have changed as laws around it have softened, the NFL announced its first-ever partnership with a gambling company, naming Caesars as the league's official casino sponsor. Chris Holdren, chief marketing officer for Caesars, told Cheddar on the day of the announcement that the sponsorship represents the beginning of a relationship that could eventually become one where the NFL is directly endorsing sports betting ー something unthinkable just a few years ago. “As the NFL continues to evolve and the issues continue to develop, we would love to be considered for that and are very excited for that day to come whenever they are ready,” he said. The NFL is chasing the gold rush from the legalization of sports betting around the country that followed a Supreme Court ruling in 2018 that knocked down the federal ban. Eight states have full-scale legal betting, with at least two more on the way, according to [ESPN](http://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/19740480/gambling-sports-betting-bill-tracker-all-50-states). The multi-year Caesars deal will become evident as soon as this weekend, in terms of branding and advertising during playoff games and extend into Super Bowl weekend. “I think you’ll see the word Super Bowl throughout all of our properties across the U.S. and that kind of cements that our properties, whether in Las Vegas or around the country, are really the best place to experience the excitement of the Super Bowl outside of the stadium itself," Holdren said. Next year, the NFL Draft will take place in Las Vegas, which will also be the new home of the Raiders ー another significant meeting of the gambling capital of the world and the country's most popular sport. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/nfl-drafts-caesars-entertainment).
