A Pennsylvania lawsuit filed against the NFL, FanDuel, and DraftKings has accused all three of contributing to gambling addiction and financial losses by using real-time betting products and data. Christopher Sage and Terry Thompson filed the complaint, claiming that the companies allowed and promoted highly addictive betting, such as in-game “micro-betting”. The lawsuit states that
A Pennsylvania lawsuit filed against the NFL, FanDuel, and DraftKings has accused all three of contributing to gambling addiction and financial losses by using real-time betting products and data.
Christopher Sage and Terry Thompson filed the complaint, claiming that the companies allowed and promoted highly addictive betting, such as in-game “micro-betting”. The lawsuit states that the companies used NFL live data feeds and offered known addictive products, which are created to increase engagement through real-time betting, analytics, and other personalized features.
The attorneys argued:
“The apps became a relentless, always-on addiction-amplifying machine through a personalized and lightning-fast sports gambling interface unlike anything previously sold to gambling customers. Micro bets are placed on a virtually limitless array of events that occur during the course of a sporting contest, where the odds for the wager rapidly change as the game unfolds.”
The format of micro-betting is described to encourage continuous betting, as the lawsuit revealed that live betting comprises around 50% of bets placed on platforms operated by DraftKings and FanDuel.
The lawsuit stresses that more than $2 million was lost by the plaintiffs. Additionally, Sage and Thompson argue that the companies “weaponized” technology to allow them to gamble from anywhere and every day, adding that micro-betting products led to compulsive behavior and kept them hooked on nonstop betting action.
Through the accusation, the pair is seeking damages, legal fees, and changes to the operators’ practices. The defendants, however, haven’t yet responded to the accusations.