The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and ESPN, a leader in sports media, are proud to announce a collaboration to advance responsible sports betting practices and media impact analysis. ESPN, renowned for providing sports content, is set to be a founding donor of this innovative program, leveraging the expertise of UNLV's prestigious International Gaming Institute (IGI).
The rapidly evolving landscape of sports betting presents an array of complex opportunities and challenges. To address these, UNLV IGI will develop a pioneering program dedicated to the study of, education on, and advisory services related to sports betting and its intersection with the media.
“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 calls 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 collaboration, fueled by a philanthropic investment of $200,000 from ESPN, aims to catalyze the launch of this leading-edge initiative. ESPN's contribution will support the program in various capacities, including personnel, scholarly research, global outreach efforts, and operational needs. Key areas of focus for this collaborative effort include:
- Enhancing Responsible Gambling: The program will conduct comprehensive reviews of current regulatory practices and recommend best practices to increase engagement in responsible gambling for both employees and customers.
- Developing Evidence-Based Insights: Researchers will provide evidence-based insights on the development of policies, messaging, technology components, and more. IGI will create open-call research fellowships for international scholars in gambling to encourage global impact.
- Responsible Marketing Practices: A structured review process will be established to assess marketing and promotional materials, ensuring responsible marketing practices and the development of best practice policies.
- Creating Responsible Gambling Program Parameters: Collaborating with stakeholders, the program will advise on the creation of named, marketable, and easily identifiable responsible gambling programs.
- Educating Industry Leaders: This initiative will also educate executive leadership in the media sector on best practices in sports betting, including responsible gambling, responsible marketing, advertising policies, broadcast standards, and risk management.
"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."
UNLV Vice President of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement and UNLV Foundation President Rickey N. McCurry echoes Martinez’s positive outlook on the partnership. "The university is deeply grateful for ESPN's commitment, which will enable us to create a global hub of knowledge and best practices in this ever-evolving field."
This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to advancing the understanding of sports betting and its media interactions on a global scale, ensuring responsible gambling practices and fostering responsible marketing standards.
For more information about the International Gaming Institute at UNLV, please visit unlv.edu/igi.
For additional information or media inquiries, please contact:
Leslie Venzuela, Director of Communications
leslie.venzuela@unlv.edu
702-895-4191
or
John Manzo, ESPN PR
john.manzo@espn.com
###
About UNLV
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public research university committed to inspiring the next generation of leaders and solving the challenges of the 21st century. UNLV is a diverse and dynamic community of students, faculty, staff, and alumni who strive to achieve greatness in their endeavors. To learn more about UNLV, please visit unlv.edu.
About ESPN
ESPN, the world’s leading multiplatform sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, the leading sports app, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, leading social and digital platforms, ESPN.com, ESPN Audio, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.
About the UNLV International Gaming Institute
For more than 30 years, UNLV International Gaming Institute (IGI) has provided research-based solutions, cutting-edge insights, and executive education to the global gambling industry. With expertise in areas like gambling and hospitality innovation, regulation and policy, esports, diversity, and responsible gambling, IGI has been called upon to provide its research to more than 50 jurisdictions across the globe. In addition to these offerings, IGI proudly emphasizes diversity and community outreach through initiatives like the Young Executive Scholars Hospitality & Tourism Program (YES), which gives high schoolers a behind-the-scenes look at the career and educational opportunities that the hospitality industry provides.