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That was a short-lived exit.
By Tony Maglio
Remember when ESPN was exiting the sports-betting business an hour ago? Not anymore. ESPN has now announced its new online-gambling deal with DraftKings.
Effective Dec. 1, 2025, DraftKings products will make their way to ESPN, with a full rollout coming in 2026. ESPN Bet, a partnership between ESPN and its former online gambling partner Penn Entertainment, is being shuttered on the same day. The ESPN Bet brand now be used just for content, like for sports-betting show ESPN Bet Live, which currently airs weekdays at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
“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. We are excited about this new collaboration with DraftKings.”
“ESPN’s unmatched visibility across the world of sports make this collaboration a natural fit,” said Jason Robins, CEO and co-founder of DraftKings. “As an innovative leader in digital sports entertainment, DraftKings is uniquely positioned to integrate our technology and products with ESPN’s iconic brand and storytelling power. Together, we’re delivering a seamless, engaging, and responsible experience that elevates how fans connect with live sports.”
More to come.
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