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The NFL season is only a few weeks away, with the preseason in full swing. A quest for Super Bowl LXI will begin as the Seattle Seahawks open the season as defending champions. The league has recently been placed front and center in the world of sports gambling. Most notably, the NFL and the NCAA dealt with the threat of lawsuits from former Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who sought to play professional football in 2026. Still, the NFL continues to embrace its complicated relationship with sports betting. A recent report indicated the league has struck a new deal with Fanatics Sportsbook to become an official sportsbook partner. MORE: Roger Goodell has ‘no doubt’ there will be NFL teams outside the United States “Fanatics has signed on as an official sportsbook of the NFL, breaking a logjam that left the sponsor category vacant for the league since multiyear deals with FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars expired at the end of March. The deal, expected to be announced before the start of the season, includes rights to promote across NFL-controlled media channels, allowing Fanatics to air spots during game broadcasts,” Bill King of Sports Business Journal reported. Walking a fine line? The timing of the agreement will likely place the NFL under an even brighter spotlight. Sports betting has become deeply intertwined with professional sports, and the NFL has embraced that reality through partnerships, advertising and league-sponsored content. At the same time, the league has worked aggressively to protect the integrity of its games, handing down suspensions to players who violate gambling policies and maintaining strict rules surrounding betting activity. MORE: 3 NFL rookies with the most to prove in Week 2 of the preseason That balancing act became more visible during the recent Sorsby situation. The NFL took a firm stance by denying him entry into the supplemental draft, citing long-standing eligibility rules. While the case centered on player eligibility rather than gambling itself, it arrived at a time when legal questions surrounding sports and betting continue to evolve. The Fanatics partnership highlights the challenge the NFL faces moving forward. The league benefits financially from the rapid growth of legalized sports wagering, but every new partnership also invites greater scrutiny from fans, media and regulators. For the NFL, the message remains clear: sports betting is a major part of the business, but preserving public trust in the integrity of the game remains the league’s most important responsibility. As betting becomes more prevalent, that line may become more difficult to navigate than ever before. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER. — Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —