ESPN is diving headfirst into responsible gaming initiatives with a brand new ad campaign, according to a release from the Worldwide Leader in Sports on Tuesday.
Two spots starring SportsCenter anchors Elle Duncan and Gary Striewski will feature prominently across the network, partially necessitated by the continued evolution and growth of the network’s betting platform ESPN BET.
The spots are entitled “The Talk.”
“At ESPN, we believe it’s our responsibility to help sports fans understand the risks of sports betting and learn what smart betting looks like,” said Kevin Martinez, Vice President of ESPN Corporate Citizenship.
“When ESPN decided to license its name to a sportsbook, responsible gaming was at the forefront of the discussion.”
In conjunction with the humorous spots, ESPN has shared that “The Talk” campaign will include the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline and direct views to espn.com/smartplay, a dedicated link that offers further tools and resources for gamblers to help them understand what smart betting looks like.
"Because we feature content and advertising on betting, we believe we have a responsibility to help sports fans understand how to bet responsibly,” Martinez added. “We’re proud to work with industry leaders to find new and different ways to reach these audiences.
“This campaign encourages fans to reflect on their betting habits and discuss smart practices with family and friends. We want to normalize these conversations and ensure fans understand why responsible betting matters.”
The spot, which debuted during TGL programming on Tuesday, serves as an overarching ESPN campaign. There is another spot scheduled for later in the year.
“ESPN is taking an important approach to responsible gambling messaging, supported by behavioral science research,” Brett Abarbanel, Ph.D., Executive Director, International Gaming Institute at UNLV said via the release. “Rather than just focusing on the negative, these spots accentuate the positive by encouraging healthy habits: being a better bettor is not just about knowing when to take risks, it’s also about knowing when not to.”
ESPN BET keeps chugging
With ESPN BET recently celebrating its first anniversary, the platform has seen substantial growth since its inception.
Most recently, the retailer has found a space in the highly competitive and regulated Washington, D.C. market, debuting in the Capital earlier this month.
The book’s parent company Penn Entertainment is also set to dramatically overhaul the branding of several retail locations across the United States to match branding with their rapidly expanding brand recognition.
“We are proud to partner with Monumental Sports and its teams to unite the energy of D.C. sports with our world-class platform,” said Aaron LaBerge, chief technology officer for PENN Entertainment. “This deal expands our footprint in the region, further connecting ESPN BET with one of America’s most passionate sports communities."
