Disney “working hard” on ESPN sports betting app launch

The conglomerate has been linked with expansion into the sports betting market for some time, with Chapek last month saying Disney remained in talks with a number of platforms in regard to potentially launching an app.

Chapek previously said Disney’s sports broadcasting arm ESPN was the “perfect” channel for the business to move into sports wagering.

Speaking at Disney’s D23 fan event this week, Chapek said sports betting remains a focus area for the business, adding that it is “working very hard” on an app.

“Sports betting is a part of what our younger, say, under-35 sports audience is telling us they want as part of their sports lifestyle,” Chapek said according to Bloomberg.

Chapek added that he had received as many as 100 inquiries from parties interested in the business. He said: “If you have a house that you’re gonna put up for sale and you have a hundred buyers, you probably got a pretty cool house.”

Disney already has a presence in the sports betting market through ESPN, which in September 2020 entered a deal with DraftKings and William Hill, the latter of which has since been acquired by Caesars.

Under this agreement, ESPN has been promoting DraftKings’ daily fantasy sport updates, while with the William Hill agreement, which transferred to Caesars through the acquisition, ESPN has been showing the bookmaker’s betting odds.