Penn Entertainment and ESPN have mutually agreed to end their sportsbook partnership early, Penn said in its third-quarter report. Penn paid $150 million annually under the deal, which was originally set to run through 2033; it plans to relaunch theScore Bet in the US by 1 December.
The change ends a major sportsbook partnership and shifts Penn’s US digital focus towards theScore Bet and iCasino.
Quarter ended 30 September 2026
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ESPN and PENN Entertainment agreed to end their exclusive US online sports betting arrangement on 1 December 2025, while ESPN named DraftKings its exclusive odds provider from December, with full implementation planned for 2026. PENN plans to rebrand its US betting service as theScore Bet, subject to regulatory approvals, and said the launch is projected for 1 December.
Penn Entertainment and ESPN agreed to end their 10-year betting partnership, effective 1 December 2025, as Penn shifts its interactive focus towards Canada and its Hollywood iCasino products. Penn said payments to ESPN for the agreement will end after Q4 2025; it reported 7% year-on-year revenue growth in Ontario in Q3 2025.
DraftKings and ESPN plan to introduce account linking before March Madness, enabling customers to connect the two platforms. ESPN said linked users will receive betting selections informed by their app use, access to a bracket-based betting feature and one free month of ESPN Unlimited.
PENN Entertainment said it has applied for a licence to offer online sports betting and casino gaming in Alberta, and has begun allowing residents to download theScore Bet app and register. The company said the services will launch only after required regulatory approvals; the timing of Alberta’s market opening has not been confirmed.
PENN has appointed Nate Ravitz to lead theScore’s media business, according to a report. The report says Ravitz is a vice-president at ESPN and that the appointment follows PENN’s closure of ESPN Bet.