Just before Christmas, the state of Kansas gave the Kansas City Chiefs the whole kit and caboodle in an extraordinarily controversial $3 billion stadium deal.

For the 2031 season, the Chiefs plan to relocate about two dozen miles from Missouri into neighboring Kansas, thanks to a record sum of public money. 

Kansas taxpayers could pay up to $2.775 billion, with up to $1.8 billion going to the stadium and another $975 million for team facilities.

Critics blasted the government’s handout to the franchise. Meanwhile, proponents claimed it will generate enough “economic activity” over the decades to benefit the state and its residents.

Under the deal, the Chiefs keep 100% of revenue from stadium activities, including naming rights deals. What will the new domed stadium be called?

Chiefs Could Sign Naming Rights Deal With a Sportsbook or Casino

The Chiefs are allowed to sell naming rights to a gambling operator/brand, according to the 33-page STAR bond agreement. The state of Kansas has some category-based veto power over the name of the stadium that it technically owns, but that doesn’t apply to gambling.

“[T]he Chiefs have the right to name, or to contract with any person or entity in order to name, the Stadium; provided that any such name will not unreasonably cause embarrassment or disparagement to the Public as will be further defined in the Definitive Documentation.”

Commentary: For many, legal sports gambling is an embarrassment to Kansas, as addiction rates have soared. Yet, the state still sanctions betting apps. The state has one of the lowest sports betting tax rates in the nation, a contentious issue during a September 2025 Kansas sports betting hearing.

“The Government Owner reserves the right to: (i) reject any proposed naming rights sponsor in any of the following categories: tobacco, vaping, adult entertainment, firearms, or political entities; and (ii) object to any other proposed naming rights sponsor that is not compatible with NFL and then-existing community standards, including incompatible products or services or the promotion of groups and special interests that are not aligned with then-existing community standards, or that is otherwise deemed inappropriate or does not meet the criteria outlined in this paragraph.” 

Commentary: Like the vice industries mentioned, sports betting is extraordinarily harmful to the public. It can be a significant factor in suicide and violent crime. More than half of online sports bettors chase losses. The sports betting industry makes a disproportionate share of its revenue from people with a gambling problem. The state should have negotiated veto power over a gambling brand (especially a prediction market), but it’s easy to speculate why it didn’t.

What Will The New Chiefs Stadium Be Called?

Before a sponsorship deal for the new Chiefs stadium’s name, the franchise and the state must select a location. Architects will then need to design the stadium.

As of early 2026, a name for the new stadium was far away.

One thing is for sure: The new Chiefs stadium will not be called Arrowhead.

The stakes are high for a new name. Companies in numerous industries will make offers to the Chiefs. We can expect a gambling brand to be in the mix.

Ultimately, the Chiefs are unlikely to go with a gambling brand, but it’s still a possibility. If the franchise chooses gambling, the state of Kansas can’t do much about it.

Kansas can’t veto specifically on category grounds the way it can for tobacco, vaping, adult entertainment, firearms, and politics. However, it still has a general objection pathway that it could invoke. However, that’s unlikely to be successful if the Chiefs are determined to sign a deal with a gambling operator/brand.

Football Stadiums Named After Gambling Brands

There is no indication that the Chiefs will sign a deal with a gambling company for the upcoming stadium’s naming rights. Sports betting is increasingly unpopular in the U.S., so that may influence the franchise’s thinking.

If the Chiefs go with a gambling brand, it would be a relatively rare decision but not unheard of in the world of U.S. football stadiums.

Several gambling brands currently sponsor football stadiums.

• Caesars Superdome — New Orleans Saints (NFL) 
• Hard Rock Stadium — Miami Dolphins (NFL)
• Choctaw Stadium — Arlington Renegades (UFL)
• Casino Del Sol Stadium — University of Arizona Wildcats (NCAA)