In order to reap millions of dollars in fees, universities are partnering with betting companies to introduce their students and sports fans to online gambling.
In September 2021, an official in Michigan State University’s athletic department sent an email to his boss with exciting news: An online betting company was willing to pay handsomely for the right to promote gambling at the university.
“Alan, if we are willing to take an aggressive position, we have a $1 M/year deal on the table with Caesar’s,” Paul Schager wrote to Alan Haller, the university’s athletic director.
The offer from Caesars Sportsbook turned out to be even bigger than that, according to emails obtained by The New York Times.