Mike Tyson signed on as an ambassador for the online gambling app Hard Rock Bet.
Hard Rock announced the relationship, without terms or financial details, in late August 2025. Tyson will “star in Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook’s fall campaign, ‘The Hard Rock Bet Party’, where he joins other legendary athletes in inviting sports fans to roll with the top-rated app,” the company said in a press release.
Other athletes in Hard Rock Bet advertisements included Ray Lewis, John Daly, Ed Reed, Edgerrin James, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Tyson’s endorsement came ahead of Hard Rock Bet launching a dangerous online slots product.
Live Shows
Tyson was also scheduled to perform four live shows at Hard Rock casinos. The live shows were announced in early September 2025.
“From battles with addiction and mental health to candid reflections on his celebrated career, ‘Return of the Mike’ will revisit his wild younger self and share wisdom through the unexpected comedy of life,” a press release said.
Tyson’s life was apparently still chaotic.
In December 2024, a Cyprus-registered online gambling company sued Tyson for $1.59 million. The gambling firm Rabona claimed that Tyson breached the contract he had signed.
Concerns with Mike Tyson, Hard Rock Bet Partnership
Tyson has a long history of addiction, including alcohol, drugs, sex, and excessive spending. There are reports of him gambling as well, but it’s unclear if he ever had a gambling addiction.
The former boxing star has been open about his various addictions, but he has never been on the record stating that he specifically had one to gambling.
Fortunately for Tyson, a gambling addiction appears to have eluded him.
Still, a CBS News report from the late 1990s said casinos loaned Tyson and his friends money. In recent years, Tyson has talked briefly about losing five-figure sums while playing dice games.
Addiction is part of his life story, which Hard Rock Bet said will be featured in Tyson’s live shows.
The press release did not state that Tyson will directly endorse Hard Rock’s gambling app during his live shows. It’s unclear if there will be Hard Rock Bet ads during his on-stage performances.
Nonetheless, a celebrity with a history of addiction promoting an addictive product like online gambling is problematic. Betting addiction statistics show that over 50% of online sports bettors have chased losses.
Even though Tyson, 59, appeals strongest to what is now an older generation of sports bettors, he has transferred his popularity to younger generations remarkably well. In November 2024, Tyson fought social media influencer Jake Paul.
Gambling research has shown that celebrity endorsements of gambling products are most impactful among younger audiences.
According to a 2024 Australian study, celebrity endorsements “increase trust in gambling and gambling brands and reduce perceptions of the risks associated with gambling products and engaging in gambling.”
Other U.S. celebrity gambling deals include LeBron James with DraftKings and Derek Jeter with BetMGM.
Tyson’s History with Online Gambling Industry
Tyson’s Hard Rock Bet deal isn’t surprising.
His relationships with the casino industry date back to his earliest days as a professional boxer. Casinos hosted his fights, so he’s been connected to the industry for decades.
In recent years, however, Tyson has forged deals with online gambling companies.
Here’s a brief history of Tyson’s online gambling endorsements.
- 2016: Online slot developer Inspired announced Tyson-branded games in the UK
- 2019: Cyprus-based Parimatch announced Tyson as a gambling ambassador
- 2022: Curacao-registered BRBET unveiled Tyson as an ambassador
- 2024: Cyprus-registered Rabona announced Tyson as an ambassador
- 2025: Florida-based Hard Rock Bet said Tyson will endorse the brand.
Additionally, DraftKings sponsored Tyson’s return to the ring in 2020, but Tyson has not personally endorsed the online sportsbook/casino.
It’s unclear if Hard Rock Bet will sponsor any future Tyson fights.
Mike Tyson vs. Floyd Mayweather
It appears Tyson still has some fight left in him.
In early September 2025, CSI Sports announced that Tyson and Floyd Mayweather will fight in spring 2026. The promoter didn’t reveal the location as part of the announcement.
The Tyson-Mayweather fight is an exhibition, not a professional bout.
Hard Rock Bet’s Tyson announcement did not mention the Mayweather fight.
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