PENN Entertainment has signed a multi-national, multi-year partnership with the NHL encompassing its US and Canada-facing betting brands.
Terms of the agreement will see PENN’s ESPN BET and theScore Bet become official betting partners of the NHL in the US and Canada respectively, with plans for IP rights, media and marketing integrations across the league.
The duo will also plan ‘premium NHL experiences’ for followers of the league and PENN betting customers. The partnership will cover the full NHL regular season, including the Stanley Cup playoffs, the 2024 Winter Classic, Stadium Series and All-Star Weekend.
Jason Jazayeri, NHL Vice President, Business Development, said: “There’s definite excitement in being one of the first leagues to partner with ESPN BET and PENN Entertainment.
“From day one we’ve said our media rights deal with ESPN and The Walt Disney Company has been a big win for our fans and our League, and this new collaboration is further testament to the value of our partnership.
“The NHL is younger, faster and more exciting than ever, and delivers tremendous opportunities for fan engagement and responsible gaming experiences. We’re looking forward to working with ESPN BET in the US and theScore Bet in Ontario to engage our passionate fan base.”
Like other US bookmakers, PENN has been increasing its engagement with the major sports leagues across the US and Canada over recent years as a means to boost brand visibility, partnering with the likes of NASCAR.
This activity has increasingly taken on social responsibility and integrity provisions – PENN’s newly signed deal contains a commitment to ‘best-in-class game integrity procedures’ – with the NHL, MLB and NBA recently launching a safer gambling campaign with bookmaker backing, one of which was PENN.
Meanwhile, for PENN, the US-facing side of the partnership provides the company with a chance to secure greater visibility and brand awareness for newly launched ESPN BET, which went live in 17 states on 14 November.
“The recent launch of ESPN BET in the US is extremely exciting and we’re thrilled to collaborate with the NHL to help market our new sports betting experience,” said Aubrey Levy, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Content, PENN Interactive.
“Becoming an official partner allows us to more broadly engage hockey fans, develop compelling integrations and uniquely leverage NHL programming. This is also a key partnership for theScore Bet in Ontario, where the popularity of hockey is unmatched.”
