With ESPN’s sportsbook, ESPN BET, set to officially launch Tuesday, November 14, the network has donated $200,000 to UNLV’s International Gaming Institute, the university announced in a press release.
“We are thrilled to have ESPN’s support for research, education, and innovation in the responsible, sustainable representation of sports betting in the media,” says Brett Abarbanel, IGI executive director. “The growth of betting and gambling subjects in US media have exploded in the past five years. So, too, have called for extended research and thought leadership alongside this proliferation of content. ESPN is a market leader in sports media, and collaboratively we will advance local, national, and global discussions on sports, while also establishing UNLV’s IGI as the academic hub for thought leadership in this important area.”
The release goes on to outline five points of emphasis that will be focused on: Enhancing responsible gambling, developing evidence-based insights, responsible marking practices, creating responsible gambling program parameters, and educating industry leaders.
“ESPN is proud to support this initiative at UNLV,” said Kevin Martinez, Vice President of ESPN Corporate Citizenship. “Our investment reflects our commitment to ensuring that the world of sports betting is not only entertaining but also responsible. We are eager to work alongside UNLV’s International Gaming Institute in advancing industry standards.”
This is just the latest in a series of steps ESPN is taking in advance of the launch of the sportsbook. Late last week, ESPN sent out a memo notifying employees what they are and are not allowed to do concerning gambling going forward. Per that memo, reporters and insiders covering a specific sport can’t bet on it, and neither can employees in charge of managing relationships with those leagues.
[UNLV]
