Choctaw Casinos & Resorts Signs Texas Sports Icons for Ad Campaign

Article ByDavid Weir

August 29, 2023

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Posted in: Texas Gambling News, Oklahoma Gambling News, US Casino News, US Sports Betting News

Choctaw Casinos & Resorts has announced an advertising partnership with three North Texas sports legends.

Despite — or maybe because of — casino gaming’s illegality in Texas, many nearby casinos across state lines actively target Texas customers.

The Choctaw Casino is just 70 miles from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but located in Oklahoma.

To that end, it has hired three North Texan sports legends for promotion. NFL greats Troy Aikman and Darren Woodson, and MLB Hall of Famer Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez have all joined as ambassadors for their brand.

The trio will be featured in the Where the Players Play campaign, which will prominently feature the three sports legends in various promotional materials for Choctaw Casinos & Resorts.

“We are excited to welcome championship-caliber talent in Troy, Pudge, and Darren to the Choctaw Casinos & Resorts family,” said Janie Dillard, senior executive officer of the Commerce Division of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, in a press release.

“The North Texas market is home to a large majority of our annual visitors, and we can’t wait to have these sports icons represent and celebrate the Choctaw brand.”

Sports Icons Speak

The promotional content, which includes imagery of Aikman, Rodriguez, and Woodson, is set to be displayed across the North Texas market in all popular advertising mediums.

The sports figures involved in the campaign have also shared their excitement about the collaboration.

“Choctaw Casinos & Resorts has come onto the sports scene in a big way. As a proud Oklahoman, I couldn’t be more excited to join their roster for this trailblazing campaign,” said NFL Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Aikman.

“From special appearances to hosting football watch parties in Durant, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the time I’ve spent at Choctaw,” said Dallas Cowboys legends Woodson.

“As the sports and gaming industries continue to intersect, I applaud Choctaw for their continued efforts to align themselves with each of the top sports properties in DFW – one of the most dominant regions for sports business in the country.”

“I take pride in having represented Choctaw Casinos & Resorts for the past few years, and look forward to continuing my association with them in this next chapter. Choctaw Casinos & Resorts’ strong relationship with the Texas Rangers is just one more reason why this partnership makes perfect sense,” said National Baseball Hall of Famer Rodriguez.

Texans Leave the State to Gamble

The Choctaw’s Durant, Oklahoma, venue relies on Texan customers for about 80% of its business.

To make sure as many Texans as possible are aware of its venue — a lot of whom are 100 miles away or more — the tribe has been busy.

In the past five years, the operator has inked multiple deals with Texas sports teams, including renaming Globe Life Park to Choctaw Stadium, which is now home to the XFL Champion Arlington Renegades. Additionally, they have established affiliations with various sports entities like the Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, and the Dallas Mavericks.

Texas has long been a holdout on legal sports betting, casinos, and other kinds of gambling. There are currently only two brick & mortar Texas casinos, both in the south of the state.

The Lone Star State’s politicians have opposed basically any form of legalization across the board, as introducing it would require a change in the state’s constitution.

Las Vegas Sands was once a key lobbyist looking to build a Texan casino resort destination. But that interest seems to have cooled somewhat since the death of original founder Sheldon Adelson in 2021.

Lawmakers introduced a bill for legal casinos and sports betting last year, but it was swiftly shut down before reaching a Texas Senate vote.