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ESPN is no longer hedging bets on its online sportsbook, ESPN Bet. The sports network on Thursday announced that it and Penn Entertainment have mutually agreed to end their partnership, effective Dec. 1, despite signing a 10-year, $1.5 billion deal in 2023. “When we first announced our partnership with ESPN, both sides made it clear that we expected to compete for a podium position in the space,” said Jay Snowden, CEO and president of PENN Entertainment. “Although we made significant progress in improving our product offering and building a cohesive ecosystem with ESPN, we have mutually and amicably agreed to wind down our collaboration.” ESPN Bet will be rebranded to theScore Bet, with its debut set to coincide with the launch of sports betting in Missouri. The wind-down comes as ESPN Bet, despite the ESPN branding, lagged behind other online sportsbooks, ranking outside the top five sports betting apps among users, according to CBS Sports. Meanwhile, ESPN, not looking to exit the sports betting business altogether, announced a new deal with DraftKings, which sees it become the sports network’s exclusive official sportsbook and odds provider, beginning Dec. 1. With a full rollout expected in 2026, DraftKings will be integrated exclusively across ESPN’s ecosystem, including the betting tab within the ESPN app. ESPN users will gain access to betting features and offerings, including DraftKings’ sportsbook, daily fantasy, and DraftKings Pick6. “Our betting approach has focused on offering an integrated experience within our products,” said Jimmy Pitaro, chairman, ESPN. “Working with DraftKings, a leader in the space, will allow us to build upon that foundation, continue to super-serve passionate sports fans and grow our ESPN direct-to-consumer business.” The two companies have also agreed to commit to responsible gaming by dedicating prominent assets to educating customers, raising customer awareness, and promoting responsible play through campaigns and integrations. This commitment comes on the heels of the NBA gambling scandal that has affected the league, with ESPN caught up in some controversy after an on-screen ESPN Bet lower-third promo was quickly pulled from the air as the network was in the midst of covering the scandal. Reports indicate that ESPN’s decision to end its partnership with Penn Entertainment was unrelated to the ongoing betting scandal.
