Sponsorship is essential for top teams in the NBA. Just as brands cherish the opportunity to get their names in front of the eyeballs of millions of sports fans around the world, teams are eager to partner with brands and put their sponsors’ name on their jerseys or display it in their stadium. Sponsorship is a steady, lucrative source of revenue for teams and lowers their costs, including equipment and facility maintenance costs.
Over in the NHL, 17 of the 32 teams boast gambling sponsors, this is beneficial for the iGaming sites themselves, if they want their casino app in Canada to stand out from the crowd, having their brand on display is vital. The figures suggest that over 15 million Canadians take a keen interest in the NHL and over 60% of these say they follow at least half the games over the season.
With this in mind, one team that has attracted sponsors is the Chicago Bulls. Below is a look in more depth at their deal with Wind Creek Casino, the rise of gambling in the US, other deals the Bulls have made, and the team’s performance in the 2024-25 season.
Teaming up with Wind Creek Casino
In November 2022, the Chicago Bulls announced a partnership with Wind Creek Casino, who became the team’s Official Casino Partner. As part of this multiyear partnership, the casino agreed to provide in-game competitions, hospitality, digital content, sweepstakes on social media, in-arena branding, and a range of other services. The casino also provides local community groups with two tickets to Bulls games for the 2022-23 season.
One of the highlights of the partnership is the Hi Lo in-game competition. A random fan is shown a Chicago Bulls team member’s jersey and must guess if the number on the following jersey will be higher or lower. If they guess correctly, the whole row wins a bucket of popcorn.
The rise of gambling in the US
Since the US Supreme Court ruled, in May 2018, that states could determine whether they allow sports betting, sports betting has exploded in the country. That’s partly due to states introducing legislation and regulation so that players can play safely and legally in their state. However, gambling laws vary from state to state. Players should check their own state’s laws before undertaking gambling online or offline in others where these activities are legal.
Despite a slight slowdown in sports betting growth according to the American Gaming Association (AGA), it’s still popular. The organization reports that revenue for online gaming, which consists of igaming and online sports betting, grew in the first quarter of 2025. The combined quarterly revenue for the two hit $6.9 billion, a new high.
On the hunt for partnership deals
Wind Creek Casino won’t complain, so long as the figures are on the up. Just now, the operator is rumored to have agreed a deal with the Chicago Sports Network (CHSN). Although the terms haven’t been confirmed, the casino is believed to be sponsoring “The Chicago Lead” and, each month, will broadcast the program live from the casino. The company will hold onsite promotional events and advertise across all other CHSN platforms.
The Chicago Bulls: Partnering Up
Of course, Wind Creek Casino isn’t the only brand the Bulls have been doing business with. Ahead of the 2024-25 season, footwear company Foot Locker announced a partnership with the Chicago team. The deal included community basketball events, exclusive in-store activations, and behind-the-scenes player-focused content.
But neither are Foot Locker or Wind Creek Casino the only ones to have partnered up with the Bulls. Online furniture and home goods company Wayfair announced in January 2025 they’d become a partner of the Bulls. Under the deal, they’d support the Chicago Bulls with exclusive sweepstakes, interactive experiences at Bull Fest, and more. Other companies that sponsor the team include online financial trading platform Plus500, who explain proudly on their website that they’re sponsors of the Chicago side.
Looking back on the Chicago Bulls’ 2024-25 season
The playoffs have been decided and, in the finals, the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks have still a few games to determine who will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the championship final.
The Chicago Bulls will be glad to forget 2024-25. The team finished 10th in the Eastern Conference and lost more games than they won. In the battle for a playoff seeding, the team endured a 109-90 beating by the Miami Heat and saw their NBA final hopes end.
Several veteran players are on expiring contracts going into the 2025-26 season, and fans and maybe even some at the club itself will be hoping that the Chicago Bulls freshen up the roster with younger, emerging talent. The Bulls have a bad defensive record and may focus on bringing in defensive reinforcements.
Sponsorship is vital for teams in the NBA and makes life much easier in the organization. The Chicago Bulls are popular when sponsors are looking for someone to get behind in the league, and they’ve enjoyed the support of Wind Creek Casino since 2022. Both the sponsor and the team are open to new partnerships, so the NBA is likely to see more sponsorship announcements from the Bulls as the seasons go by.
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