The Walt Disney Company to Keep sportsbetting antipathy

In the United States, the boss for The Walt Disney Company has allegedly declared that his company will not be getting involved in the nation’s nascent sportsbetting industry because to do so would run counter to the firm’s ‘family-friendly’ reputation.

Based on a Friday report from Yahoo.com, the revelation from Bob Iger (pictured), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for the Walt Disney Company, came as part of a conference call to discuss the media giant’s first-quarter earnings. The 68-year-old’s disclosure additionally followed rumors which the conglomerate may be contemplating whether to combine firms like American daily fantasy sports operators DraftKings Incorporated and FanDuel Incorporated in offering sportsbetting services.

In the Aftermath of May’s invalidation of the Skilled and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), sportsbetting is now legal in New Mexico, Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Mississippi and Pennsylvania. However, Iger claimed his company doesn’t have any intention of getting involved in the business of taking sports wagers in these or any other countries.

Iger allegedly told investors…

“As sports betting becomes legal in the USA state by country, is that something which can coexist within the family-friendly Disney brand? I don’t find The Walt Disney Company, certainly in the long run, becoming involved in the business of gaming, in consequence, by facilitating gambling at all. ”

ESPN.com distinction:

But, Iger’s pronouncement came despite the fact that his business ’s ESPN.com domain regularly produces sportsbetting-themed apps like the ESPN Chalk and Behind the Bets podcasts. To clean up this seemingly obvious contradiction, the executive drew a distinction between taking wagers and providing associated content.

Iger additional …

“I really do think there’so plenty of space plus ESPN.com has done some of this already and they may perform more. To provide information in policy of sports which would be applicable to and of specific interest to betting and not be shy about it, essentially being rather overt about it. But getting into the business of betting, I rather doubt it. ”