Lost amidst the approval of the first 10 Maryland online sports betting licenses this morning is the reveal that the Washington Commanders will indeed be partnering with the sports apparel giant Fanatics for the franchise’s sports betting operation.

The Commanders, operating under Maryland Stadium Sub LLC, received approval for one of the first 10 online sports betting licenses by members of the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) this morning. In its application for a license the NFL franchise listed Fanatics, which will likely be operating under the name BetFanatics, as its online sports betting operating partner.

Maryland online sports betting will likely launch by next week.

BetFanatics and the Commanders are official

The confirmation puts an end to months of rumors that Fanatics and the Washington Commanders would be engaged in a partnership for Maryland sports betting.

“The applicant has engaged FBG Enterprises Opco, LLC…a subsidiary of Fanatics Holding Inc, as its online sports wagering operator. Fanatics, you may all have heard of and know, is a very large and popular distributor of officially licensed sports memorabilia for the sports leagues,” Kimberly M. Copp, co-chair of Taft Law’s Gaming Industry Group, said during today’s license hearing.

SWARC unanimously approved the Commanders license and the partnership with Fanatics. It’s expected that Fanatics will also run the franchise’s retail sports betting efforts, as the Commanders procured a retail sports betting facility license over the summer.

Rumors of the sports betting partnership were first reported in June by the Washington Business Journal. According to their report, work forms pulled in Prince George’s County over the summer mention a “Fanatics Sportsbook at FedEx Field” and the phrase appeared on “multiple contractor lists.”

BetFanatics is not currently live in any state, though it has several licenses to operate sports betting throughout the country.

Retail sports betting on its way for the franchise

Aside from online sports betting, the Commanders are close to launching their retail sports betting operation “in the near future,” according to a Maryland Lottery and Gaming release.

The Commanders are currently completing facility construction for a retail sportsbook at FedEx Field or somewhere on the grounds of the stadium. The Commanders initial application for a Maryland sports betting facility license was approved by the MLGCA in August. It then received final approval from SWARC and made mention that a sportsbook was in the works for FedEx Field.

It’s unknown if this is the course of action the Commanders will take.

Commanders owner Daniel Snyder spoke during the franchise’s August retail hearing and said the license would be yet another improvement for FedEx Field.

FedEx Field has been “dramatically upgraded” leading up to this season, Snyder said during a brief comment during the application hearing, and he expects big attendance for the year. He did not directly address any potential plans for a retail sportsbook at the stadium during the August hearing.

The Washington Commanders were among the original 17 entities designated in the Maryland sports wagering law to conduct retail sports betting.