Penn Entertainment chief executive Jay Snowden said the ESPN-NFL agreement could support ESPN Bet through deeper integration with ESPN’s digital and streaming services. Penn reported second-quarter revenue of $1.4bn and said reaching profitability in 2026 remained possible if it met its targets.
ESPN integration could support ESPN Bet, while Penn’s 2026 profitability target remains conditional on meeting targets.
Quarter ended 30 September 2026
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Penn Entertainment said it plans to rebrand ESPN Bet as theScore Bet on 1 December, with users not expected to need a new app or registration. Chief executive Jay Snowden said the company will stop payments to ESPN at the end of Q4 after ending their partnership early; Penn reported $297.7m in Q3 interactive revenue and a $76.6m adjusted EBITDA loss.
HG Vora estimated that Penn Entertainment had destroyed $11bn in shareholder value since 2021 through its focus on online sports betting, according to the investment firm’s presentation. It cited Penn’s Barstool Sports and theScore acquisitions and its ESPN agreement, and is seeking to place three candidates on Penn’s board.
ESPN plans to include enhanced betting integrations in its direct-to-consumer streaming service, which chairman Jimmy Pitaro said will launch this autumn for $29.99 a month. Penn Entertainment, which holds exclusive rights to the ESPN BET trademark under a multi-year partnership, expects the planned features to support the sportsbook’s market share, according to CEO Jay Snowden.
theScore founder John Levy criticised Penn Entertainment’s handling of its transition after acquiring theScore, speaking at the NEXT Summit on 18 March. Levy said Penn should have trusted the team behind the business more; his comments come as Penn’s 10-year ESPN Bet agreement could face an exit option in 2026, which chief executive Jay Snowden addressed in late February.
PENN Entertainment outlined planned ESPN BET product changes during its quarterly earnings call, including fantasy-app offers and statistical integrations for the football season. Chief executive Jay Snowden said the company aims to use ESPN integrations to support customer acquisition and retention; deep links to selected betting markets are planned for November. ESPN BET is expected to launch in New York later this month, the report said.