In a surprising move, ESPN and PENN Entertainment have mutually agreed to terminate their U.S. sports betting partnership ahead of schedule. 

The collaboration, originally set to last 10 years, will officially end on December 1, 2025. 

This decision comes just two years after the partnership’s launch in August 2023, which introduced the ESPN BET brand to the U.S. market.

Under the initial agreement, PENN Entertainment paid ESPN $150 million annually for marketing services and exclusive rights to the ESPN BET brand. 

Despite significant efforts to integrate ESPN’s media assets with PENN’s betting platform, both companies decided to part ways amicably.

PENN’s CEO, Jay Snowden, stated that the company will now focus on expanding its iCasino business and rebranding its U.S. sports betting operations under theScore Bet, a brand already active in Canada.

ESPN, on the other hand, plans to explore new opportunities in the sports betting and media space. 

According to ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, the partnership drove over 2.9 million new users to PENN’s ecosystem, showcasing the potential of media and betting integrations.

The early termination marks a shift in strategy for both companies, as they realign their priorities in the competitive sports betting and digital entertainment markets.