MGM Resorts boss ‘offended’ by talk of integrity fees

Jim Murren, chief executive of MGM Resorts, has voiced strong opposition to the idea of integrity fees for sports betting operators in the United States.

If such a tariff were introduced, gambling firms would have to pay sports leagues and governing bodies for the right to use statistics and other data.

Murren told reporters he was “offended by the concept” of forcing bookmakers to pay integrity fees on top of existing agreements with teams, leagues and technology providers.

“I like the word integrity but I believe we are paying for that already, in the relationships we have, the money we are paying for data and the money we are paying for sponsorship,” he said.

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If things keep going as they are, however, Murren and his contemporaries in the US gambling industry will have nothing to worry about.

The likelihood of integrity fees is decreasing daily as more and more of the country’s top sporting divisions take control of their own data.

Earlier this week, MGM Resorts announced an exclusive betting partnership with Major League Baseball that includes access to official stats and a pledge to promote responsible gambling.

The National Basketball League has also unveiled a new data deal, teaming up with Genius Sports and Sportradar.