The NFL’s Super Bowl Slots mobile app, which launched in August 2025, is typically not legally classified as gambling, yet it can cause or lead to real addiction and harm to users.
The league partnered with Aristocrat Leisure Limited, based in Australia and Las Vegas, to create the game, available globally.
The NFL and Aristocrat said that the product is the “first-ever NFL-licensed free-to-play social casino mobile game.” NFL-themed slots have been in play at U.S. brick-and-mortar casinos since 2023.
In February 2026, days before Super Bowl LX, the State of Washington sued Aristocrat over the NFL Slots app. The state said that the product was one of nearly 20 illegal betting apps that collectively siphoned $225 million from residents since September 2020.
Mimicking Gambling
The product is a form of simulated gambling, which carries risks of compulsive use. The NFL slots app may also serve as a gateway to full-fledged gambling, especially among underage users.
The NFL is a partner with the U.S. sports gambling industry, which generated $13.7 billion in gross revenue from Americans in 2024. The league allows sports betting ads at the Super Bowl.
Let’s see what’s behind the NFL Super Bowl Slots app.
How the NFL’s Slots App Works
While the Super Bowl slots app allows limited free play, users are prompted to purchase in-app currency to play various slot titles with NFL themes. You cannot redeem virtual currency for cash or prizes.
The NFL slots app is what is sometimes called a closed-loop ecosystem (spend-only).
Nonetheless, the app may exploit users’ anxiety about FOMO (fear of missing out). The virtual gold coins are on “sale” from the moment a person starts using the app.
You receive five million coins upon downloading and playing the app. You can purchase more coins in packages ranging from $4.99 to $99.99.
The cheapest currency package might not seem like much (depending on your country), but frequent use of the app can quickly lead to high spending. The NFL slots app features what are sometimes called micro-transactions.
Push notifications are another way to fuel a false sense of urgency to use the app.
Although the slot games do not feature real-money wagers, the product still produces the dangerous near-miss effect. Arguably, compulsive use is baked into the app’s design.
Lack of Age Verification
Dr. Sally Gainsbury, the Director of the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic in the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney, said a key concern with a “social” slots product is the lack of age checks.
“The key distinction between a branded slot and a social game is that even though the social game is 18+, there are no actual age checks, and this is still below the age to gamble in most states,” Gainsbury told GamblingHarm.org.
The developer states the NFL slots app is for users 18+, but the Google Play Store content rating indicates “Teen.” App stores do not perform hard ID verification. To muddle the situation even further, the App Store shows the game as 17+.
Young players may not understand the difference between a so-called social slot game and the real-money version.
“Social games have no actual age verification, and these slots are a close simulation of real gambling,” Gainsbury continued. “My research shows that most youth can’t tell the difference. For many, social games make them want to gamble and think that they will win, as social slots have inflated payouts.”
Some users of social casinos have sued Google, Apple, and Meta over gambling-related harm.
NFL ‘Social’ Casino
The app brings the NFL into the world of so-called social casinos. How is playing slots on your phone a social experience?
Arguably, it’s not. In this context, the term “social” is misleadingly used as a replacement for saying that the game is just for (purported) fun. In other words, it’s not a real-money game — or gambling.
There are other features to make the app appear “social.”
At launch, there was no leaderboard for users to compare their results with others. However, the app had an “achievements” section that let users track their progress playing slots and share it on Facebook or Instagram.
The app reportedly will also feature slot tournaments, allowing users to compete for rankings.
Ed Kiang, vice president of video gaming at the NFL, said the app keeps fans “engaged” while also “enjoying the liveliness and enthusiasm that is embedded in social casino entertainment.”
The language “liveliness and enthusiasm” can be considered code for habit-forming, which can lead to compulsive use and addiction.
Micah Parsons Promotes NFL Super Bowl Slots
NFL linebacker Micah Parsons joined the product as a brand ambassador. Celebrity endorsements of addictive products can be problematic.
The league did not disclose the terms of his product endorsement. Parsons didn’t make a public statement for the app’s launch.
The game also lets users customize the experience by selecting their favorite team. The app includes video clips of old NFL games. The app aims to make a slot game feel like watching an NFL game.
The emotional investment can be high. For example, one user wrote in a Google review that he felt like he was “representing my team.”
Risk of NFL Gambling Relapse
Other gambling research from Australia shows that people with existing problem gambling behaviors are most at risk from using an app like NFL slots.
More than half of U.S. online sports bettors have chased their losses, and roughly 60% of NFL bettors have lost more than they intended. Problem betting rates are high.
Once a user has developed a problematic behavioral pattern, that habit may generalize to other game forms. The NFL slots app can be a relapse trigger for former NFL gamblers.
Coupled with the recent launch of Robinhood NFL betting, for example, NFL gamblers in recovery are facing more challenges than ever before.
Should You Use the NFL Super Bowl Slots App?
If you are dealing with stress, anxiety, or depression, you should avoid using the NFL Super Bowl Slots app. The risk to your mental health can be significant, and engagement with the app may worsen your situation.
Potentially habit-forming apps like NFL slots may be risky for those with underlying mental health or impulse control issues.
Those who have struggled with impulsivity, compulsive behavior, or other vulnerabilities should consider avoiding the app.
Even healthy users can develop habits, since NFL Slots is designed to encourage repeated play. Setting online gambling budgets for such products rarely works.
GamblingHarm.org strongly recommends avoiding the NFL slots app altogether for most people. This product does not provide a finish line or a safe endpoint. In contains constant nudges designed to entrap consumers into compulsive use. Avoid this app to protect your well-being.
This article is for informational purposes only.
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