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ESPN host Rece Davis is under fire for his promotion of March Madness gambling. Those comments downplayed the risks involved in sports betting, marketing the advice of his ESPN Bet analyst as a guarantee.
The company recently got into the gambling game, unveiling ESPN Bet as its network affiliated sportsbook.
ESPN replaced Barstool Sports as gaming operator PENN Entertainment opted to make a change in brand partnership.
The company said the following in a press release last year:
ESPN announced an agreement with PENN Entertainment to launch ESPN BET, a branded sportsbook for fans in the United States. PENN Entertainment will rebrand its current sportsbook and relaunch as ESPN BET, effective this Fall in the 16 legalized betting states where PENN Entertainment is licensed. The rebrand includes the mobile app, website, and mobile website.
Since its launch, ESPN has done all it can to promote the sportsbook – which includes on-air sports betting segments as the company drums up excitement for upcoming events.
March represents the pinnacle of that gambling activity as the NCAA Tournament kicks off three weeks of non-stop college basketball action.
To get viewers ready for the second round of play on Sunday, Rece Davis sat down with co-host Erin Dolan to preview the day ahead.
His comments at the close of that segment have drawn criticism.
Rece Davis marketed Dolan’s picks as a ‘risk-free investment.’
As most sports bettors would tell you, there is always risk involved with gambling. Davis downplayed those drawbacks with a joke in order to drive viewers to the ESPN Bet platform.
“You know what?” he asked after Dolan dropped her advice. “Some would call this wagering, gambling; the way you’ve sold this, I think what it is, is a risk-free investment.”
“You know what? Some would call this wagering, gambling; the way you’ve sold this, I think what it is, is a risk-free investment,” said ESPN’s Rece Davis after an ESPN Bet segment with Erin Dolan. pic.twitter.com/257daMIBON
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 24, 2024
He quickly got hammered for those comments online.
“Smh. You’re not even allowed using the term ‘risk free’ in advertising welcome offers in most regulated states.”
“Class action if it loses right?”
“Davis, trying to make a joke to signify Dolan did a great job describing why she liked the team under, without realizing in real-time how dangerous this is given ESPN Bet is the sportsbook brand for Penn Gaming.”
“I have placed my risk-free investment online. ESPN will be hearing from my lawyers if I lose.”
Many noted the danger of advertising bets as risk-free both for the public and for ESPN Bet and PENN Entertainment. Davis has since responded with an apology.
partake, do so with prudence, care, caution, fiscal and personal responsibility and never over-extend. Sports are unpredictable. Wagering is tricky. So let’s agree to manage monetary risks appropriately. I’m sure most recognized my comment was tongue-in-cheek. Just to clarify
— Rece Davis (@ReceDavis) March 24, 2024