Fans sue DraftKings and FanDuel saying they lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to ‘addictive’ gambling sites
Sports fans have sued online gambling sites DraftKings and FanDuel, claiming they lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to the “addictive” product, according to a new lawsuit.
The lawsuit, filed in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Tuesday, alleges DraftKings and FanDuel, with game and player data supplied by the NFL and its betting data specialist partner Genius Sports, “intentionally and defectively designed their online sports gambling platforms to turn a known addictive product into a relentless, always-on addiction-amplifying machine.”
Online sports betting has dramatically changed the gambling industry in recent years. Instead of traveling to a sports betting parlor and placing a wager before a game starts, gamblers can now place bets on their phones as the game plays out in real-time.
The lawsuit claims this new live microbetting can “hijack gamblers’ brains and keep them immersed in ceaseless betting action.”
Online sports betting caused plaintiffs Christopher Sage and Terry Thompson to develop severe gambling addictions, the suit alleges. Sage lost more than $170,300 on DraftKings and FanDuel. Thompson lost $1,856,000 on the sports betting platforms.
“We filed this case because the fundamental nature of sports gambling products has changed dramatically since they were legalized in Pennsylvania in November of 2018,” Mark Gottlieb, an attorney for the plaintiffs, told The Independent.
“Our clients are just two examples of sports fans and sports gamblers who have experienced substantial harm caused by these new and defectively designed sports microbetting products,” Gottlieb added.
The lawsuit claims DraftKings and FanDuel don’t just enable gamblers to place wagers anywhere and at any time, but have features “designed to drive customers toward microbetting.”
“FanDuel and DraftKings can collect and analyze detailed behavioral data about each of their customers. They then use this behavioral data to generate and market personalized gambling opportunities based on each customer’s unique wagering history and app usage,” the suit alleges.
DraftKings and FanDuel send personalized push notifications “designed to grab customers’ attention and lure them back” with these personalized gambling opportunities, according to the lawsuit.
“Within just a few years of placing their first microbets on the Sportsbook Apps, Plaintiffs nearly lost everything—their money, their houses, their business, their families, and, in Plaintiff Thompson’s case, also nearly lost his life,” the suit claimed.
Sage and Thompson are demanding a jury trial on their claims against the online sports betting platforms and the other defendants. The lawsuit seeks compensation for damages and to stop the defendants from continuing the alleged wrongful conduct.
“We seek justice for our clients and hope that their lawsuit ultimately helps prevent similar harm to other sports fans and their families,” Gottlieb told The Independent.
The Independent has reached out to the NFL, Genius Sports, DraftKings and FanDuel for comment.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a gambling addiction, call the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET.
