ESPN Bet is winding down in favor of a new integration with DraftKings. In an announcement on Thursday, ESPN revealed that it will shutter the standalone betting app in December, while also cutting ties with Penn Entertainment, the company it worked with to develop ESPN Bet.
In its place, ESPN will introduce DraftKings’ betting features across its platforms, including within the betting tab inside ESPN’s revamped app. ESPN says users will be able to use DraftKings’ sportsbook, daily fantasy, and Pick6 features at launch on December 1st, but a “full rollout of all integrations is expected in 2026.”
ESPN struck a $1.5 billion licensing deal with Penn Entertainment in 2023, transforming the Barstool Sportsbook brand into ESPN Bet. That 10-year agreement has now come to an early end, a decision Penn Entertainment says it and ESPN have “mutually and amicably” agreed to. Last month, ESPN removed its ESPN Bet banner while covering the arrest of 31 people, including Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former NBA player Damon Jones, for their alleged involvement in an illegal gambling ring.
Following ESPN Bet’s shutdown, Penn Entertainment will relaunch its sports betting app as theScoreBet. “Our betting approach has focused on offering an integrated experience within our products,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro says in the press release. “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.”
