PENN Entertainment Inc., formerly Penn National Gaming, is pleased to announce that it has officially entered into an alliance with the National Hockey League (NHL). Under the agreement, theScore Bet in Ontario and ESPN BET in the U.S., online wagering brands of PENN, have become formal sports wagering allies of the NHL.

Unhindered access to a range of entitlements:

As formal League allies, theScoreBet and ESPN Bet will have unfettered access to a range of entitlements, involving marketing and media integrations and intellectual property (IP) rights across the League’s top-notch experiences and programming.

Furthermore, specifically for ESPN Bet, which officially debuted on Nov. 14, 2023, in seventeen states, this alliance represents the largest to date. In addition, ESPN Bet represents a rebranded online sportsbook managed by PENN that blends ESPN’s multi-platform reach and flagship brand with PENN’s deep operational sportsbook expertise and proprietary in-house technology.

On a related note, the aforementioned entitlements by PENN will start instantly and include the Stanley Cup® Playoffs, the NHL regular season, the 2024 NHL® All-Star Weekend, the 2024 NHL Stadium Series™ and the 2024 NHL Winter Classic®. However, the alliance mentioned above will also involve cooperation regarding game integrity procedures at the highest level.

The National Hockey League (NHL) has been around since its inaugural season in 1917 and comprises 32 teams, 25 of which are in the United States and the remaining 7 in Canada.

Commenting on the partnership, NHL Vice President of Business Development, Jason Jazayeri, commented: “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 opportunity for fan engagement and responsible gaming experiences. We’re looking forward to working with ESPN BET in the U.S. and theScore Bet in Ontario to engage our passionate fan base.”

Also commenting on the alliance, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Content from PENN Interactive, Aubrey Levy, added according to an official press release: “The recent launch of ESPN BET in the U.S. is extremely exciting and we’re thrilled to collaborate with the NHL to help market our new sports betting experience. 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.”