ESPN to Discontinue ESPN Bet Amid DraftKings Partnership

ESPN is now not hedging bets on its on-line sportsbook, ESPN Guess.The sports activities community on Thursday introduced that it and Penn Leisure have mutually agreed to finish their partnership, efficient Dec. 1, regardless of signing a 10-year, $1.5 billion deal in 2023. “After we first introduced our partnership with ESPN, each side made it clear that we anticipated to compete for a podium place within the house,” mentioned Jay Snowden, CEO and president of PENN Leisure. “Though we made vital progress in bettering our product providing and constructing a cohesive ecosystem with ESPN, we have now mutually and amicably agreed to wind down our collaboration.”ESPN Guess might be rebranded to theScore Guess, with its debut set to coincide with the launch of sports activities betting in Missouri. The wind-down comes as ESPN Guess, regardless of the ESPN branding, lagged behind different on-line sportsbooks, rating exterior the highest 5 sports activities betting apps amongst customers, in accordance with CBS Sports activities.In the meantime, ESPN, not seeking to exit the sports activities betting enterprise altogether, introduced a brand new take care of DraftKings, which sees it grow to be the sports activities community’s unique official sportsbook and odds supplier, starting Dec. 1. With a full rollout anticipated in 2026, DraftKings might be built-in solely throughout ESPN’s ecosystem, together with the betting tab inside the ESPN app. ESPN customers will achieve entry to betting options and choices, together with DraftKings’ sportsbook, each day fantasy, and DraftKings Pick6.“Our betting method has centered on providing an built-in expertise inside our merchandise,” mentioned Jimmy Pitaro, chairman, ESPN. “Working with DraftKings, a pacesetter within the house, will permit us to construct upon that basis, proceed to super-serve passionate sports activities followers and develop our ESPN direct-to-consumer enterprise.” The 2 firms have additionally agreed to decide to accountable gaming by dedicating outstanding belongings to educating prospects, elevating buyer consciousness, and selling accountable play by means of campaigns and integrations.This dedication comes on the heels of the NBA playing scandal that has affected the league, with ESPN caught up in some controversy after an on-screen ESPN Guess lower-third promo was shortly pulled from the air because the community was within the midst of masking the scandal.Reviews point out that ESPN’s choice to finish its partnership with Penn Leisure was unrelated to the continued betting scandal.