ESPN is strengthening its commitment to educate and protect its audience as sports betting becomes more mainstream with the launch of “The Talk,” a new campaign aimed at promoting responsible gambling practices.
The campaign features two creative points — one protagonist SportsCenter anchor Elle Duncan tagged “The day of the wedding“, and the other, protagonist SportsCenter anchor Gary Striewski. Using humor and inspired by the classic “heart to heart” conversations that families often have, “The Talk” engages viewers to convey its message about what it means to play smart.
“At ESPN, we believe it is our responsibility to help sports fans understand the risks of sports betting and learn what smart bets are,” said Kevin Martinez, ESPN Vice President of Corporate Citizenship. “When ESPN decided to license its name to a sportsbook, responsible gambling was at the forefront of the discussion. The ESPN BET sportsbook, operated by PENN Entertainment, offers comprehensive responsible gambling resources that include a wide range of protections and tools However, ESPN’s commitment to responsible gaming extends even further. Because we present content and advertising on betting, we believe we have a responsibility to help sports fans understand how to bet responsibly. We are proud to work with industry leaders to find new and different ways to reach these audiences.
The campaign will include the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline and direct viewers to a dedicated landing page, ESPN.com/smartplayoffering additional tools and resources to help fans understand what smart betting looks like and to help them have meaningful conversations about responsible betting.
“‘The Talk’ mixes education, humor and actionable resources to capture attention and emphasize the importance of responsible gambling,” Martinez said. “This campaign encourages fans to reflect on their gambling habits and to discuss of smart practices with family and friends. We want to normalize these conversations and make sure fans understand why responsible betting matters.”
Duncan’s spot airs Jan. 21 on ESPN platforms, debuting during TGL at 7 pm ET on ESPN. Striewski’s spot is set to air later in 2025. This is a general ESPN campaign, not specific to ESPN BET.
“ESPN has taken an important approach to responsible gaming messaging, supported by behavioral science research,” said Brett Abarbanel, Ph.D., Executive Director, International Gaming Institute at UNLV. “Rather than focusing only 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’s Responsible Gaming View
“The Talk” builds on several initiatives designed to support ESPN’s commitment to responsible sports betting practices:
- UNLV Collaboration: Partner with UNLV’s International Gaming Institute to advance responsible gambling practices through education and research. This partnership includes four competitive research grants for UNLV students and faculty studying responsible gaming in sports media.
- ESPN Policies and Guidelines: Implement responsible marketing policies and to safeguard fans and restrict advertising to underage audiences, including comprehensive guidelines for colleges, even in states where ESPN BET is not operational.
- Interactive Betting Guide: ESPN.com’s interactive “Beginner’s Guide to Betting.” on ESPN.com walks readers through scenarios, terminology and basics to help them understand how betting works.
For more information on ESPN’s responsible gaming initiatives, visit ESPN.com/smartplay.