ESPN partnering with PENN Entertainment to launch ESPN BET sportsbook

While college sports betting scandals continue to rock the sport, ESPN is partnering with a betting company to launch ESPN BET, a branded sportsbook for fans in the United States.

ESPN announced an agreement with PENN Entertainment to launch the new product. PENN will rebrand its current sportsbook and relaunch as ESPN BET, effective this fall in the 16 legalized betting states where PENN is licensed.

“Our primary focus is always to serve sports fans and we know they want both betting content and the ability to place bets with less friction from within our products,” said Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN’s chairman. “The strategy here is simple: to give fans what they’ve been requesting and expecting from ESPN. PENN Entertainment is the perfect partner to build an unmatched user experience for sports betting.”

The current PENN sportsbook is branded as Barstool Sportsbook. That will change over to ESPN branding in the fall of 2023.

In addition Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has reportedly bought back Barstool Sports from PENN.

But the move for ESPN comes as little surprise. In recent years, ESPN has increased its sports betting content, adding dedicated sports betting programming, as well as editorial coverage from on-air talent.

The company noted it hopes to provide “comprehensive responsible gaming programming,” with ESPN using its platforms to educate fans on responsible gaming.

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The network points out it will continue a high standard of journalistic integrity in covering the sports betting space, will develop an ESPN committee of responsible gaming that regularly reviews compliance, programming and policies, will implement a responsible marketing policy with guidelines to safeguard fans and will work with industry experts on best practices.

“This agreement with ESPN and collaboration on ESPN BET allows us to take another step forward as an industry leader,” said Jay Snowden, the CEO and president of PENN Entertainment. “Together, we can utilize each other’s strengths to create the type of experience that existing and new bettors will expect from both companies, and we can’t wait to get started.”