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Costa Rican sportsbook Sportsbook Review became the latest gambling provider to align with Major League Baseball with an announcement Friday of a multi-year deal to become an official wagering partner for the league in Latin America. It is viewed as a major win for Sportsbook Review who becomes the first-ever and immediate go-to sportsbook for one of MLB's most important markets. The deal comes in the nick of time with the first pitch on the 2020 season scheduled to be thrown out today.

“Partnering with MLB gives us a great competitive edge and reflects the dedicated efforts we have undertaken to be a leader in sports gaming,” said Sportsbook Review CEO JD Duarte. “This partnership will strengthen Sportsbook Review’ position in the gaming industry by allowing us to cover all the action in the field and it could not come at a better time. We share a vision with MLB to deliver fun and exciting content to our audiences and that starts with the 2020 season.”

The deal

Like the rash of partnership deals between leagues and the best sportsbook providers we have seen in the last few months, Sportsbook Review will receive access to Official MLB Data, league marks, and logos for its website and other wagering platforms, and will create a free-to-play mobile app that is currently under development by Sportsbook Review, on track to be available for the 2021 MLB season.

Sportsbook Review will also benefit from marketing and advertising campaigns that will target international broadcasts of MLB Jewel Events and Postseason match-ups in countries where Sportsbook Review is licensed and regulated. As has become standard with such partnership deals, Sportsbook Review and MLB will also collaborate on best-in-class practices to protect the integrity of MLB games.

Sportsbook Review is licensed through the Malta Gaming Authority and is based in Costa Rica, meaning that they are unable to operate in the United States.

More about the market

It is no secret as to the importance of Latin America on Major League Baseball. More than one-quarter of players have roots in Latin American countries including the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Curacao. Those numbers continue to grow.

“Some of MLB’s most loyal fans reside in Latin America, so it was important to partner with the right gaming operator in the region to engage those passionate fans and also help us reach new audiences,” said Kenny Gersh, Executive Vice President of Gaming and New Business Ventures at Major League Baseball. Gersh went on to say, “Sportsbook Review has taken great strides in recent years to listen to their users and continually offer great services and we believe their experience will only further elevate the engagement opportunities for our Latin American fans.”

The importance of fan engagement

There has been a concerning decline in fan-support for MLB the last few years specifically. Fan engagement through legalized betting has been identified as a way to stop the diminishing interest in the game, particularly among the younger generation. Hopes are that MLB's newfound embrace of legal betting will lead new fans that want to have a stake in MLB games.

Latin America hasn't exactly been one of the places on the map seeing sharp declines in fans. The aim in that market is to maintain the game's popularity while creating new and fun opportunities for the legion of fans that embrace baseball as part of their way of life.

Sportsbook Review joins...

Seven other sports betting operators have signed partnership deals with Major League Baseball the past few months which shows the focus that the league has on aligning with major betting partners. Included on that list are the two biggest DFS providers on the planet, theScore, which until Friday was the most recent book to sign on with MLB, BetMGM, Bet365, FOX Bet, and Intralot.

Translation - Sportsbook Review has joined the Major Leagues of sportsbook operators. “Sportsbook Review has taken great strides in recent years to listen to their users and continually offer great services, and we believe their experience will only further elevate the engagement opportunities for our Latin American fans,” Kenny Gersh, MLB’s executive vice president of gaming and new business said.

Being the first is always a good thing and Sportsbook Review will forever own that privilege in Latin America. With the games finally starting today, MLB, despite missing a huge chunk of the season appears to have put itself in a good position going forward, in the US and now Latin America.