Campaign Part of Larger Effort from ESPN
The new creative campaign is just one piece of a larger effort by ESPN to promote responsible gaming. The company has partnered with UNLV’s International Gaming Institute. ESPN has helped create four research fellowships to attract some of the country’s top minds to tackle problem gambling.
ESPN has also placed further restrictions on how it advertises its sportsbook. While FanDuel and DraftKings commercials fill the air, ESPN restricts its to protect minors and those struggling with addiction. This hinders the sportsbooks’ growth, but the company believes the tradeoff is worth it.
ESPN in Unique Position
ESPN is a sports media giant and operates an online sportsbook. That means they have a unique position within the world of sports betting.
On one hand, the company will want to help avoid increased regulations on the sports betting industry. ESPN Bet is gaining a foothold in the US market but remains lightyears behind FanDuel and DraftKings. A crackdown on the industry could make it even harder to close the cap on the industry leaders and force the sportsbooks to shut down operations.
On the other hand, ESPN has a vested interest in protecting sports integrity. In the past few months alone, we have seen several serious betting scandals, raising concerns about the extent of these operations. These scandals could doom even the most prominent US sports leagues.
Is a Federal Crackdown Looming?
The US government’s leadership has taken a friendly approach to sports betting, but that could soon change. New sports betting scandals have appeared in several leagues, including the NCAA, in the last few weeks. We have seen betting scandals uncovered in the past, including one involving a prominent NBA player.
Congress is considering several pieces of legislation that would increase industry regulations. These range from advertising restrictions to a federal takeover. If more scandals continue to pop up, it could boost the support for these bills and change the industry forever.
