FanDuel Sportsbook is taking Problem Gambling Awareness Month seriously. It has launched a series of responsible gambling initiatives to further enforce its importance within the industry.
FanDuel has updated several changes in the past in this area, before it was considered mandatory, in order to support responsible gambling efforts.
FanDuel’s efforts to increase responsible gambling awareness
In order to promote Problem Gambling Awareness Month, FanDuel donated $100,000 to the National Council of Problem Gambling (NCPG). The money goes directly to the NCPG’s Agility Grants program, which provides funding for nonprofits across the country for problem gambling resources.
NPCG Executive Director Keith Whyte said in a statement:
“FanDuel’s commitment to supporting a spectrum of services from problem gambling prevention to responsible gambling education is a reflection of their dedication to building a safe and sustainable gambling ecosystem. We are excited to continue to partner with FanDuel on our Agility Grants program, the first-ever national grants for problem gambling prevention. Together, we are taking an important step forward in mitigating gambling-related harm.”
FanDuel is also partnering with the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG). The ICRG plans to invest in research to better understand problem gambling behavior. More information on such behavior could lead to tools to identify potential harm, mitigate risk and improve responsible gambling programs.
FanDuel introduces RG ambassador program and partnerships
FanDuel is adding ambassadors to promote responsible gambling on numerous platforms.
Craig Carton, host of “The Carton Show” on FS1, is spreading responsible gambling awareness by heading the “Responsible Gaming College Tour.”
Carton visits college campuses across the northeast to stress the importance of responsible gambling.
Amanda Serrano, a seven-division boxing champion, and Carton are to share responsible gambling content on their respective social media channels. Each will refer to FanDuel’s “Play Well” tools.
FanDuel is also partnered with the NBA and PGA to raise awareness of problem gambling. There will be calls to action at NBA arenas and responsible gambling content on various FanDuel TV programs.
FanDuel among first operators to change promotional language
For the last several months, a big controversy in the gambling industry has been language in promotional material.
Ohio and Massachusetts feature some of the strictest advertising policies since launching sports betting in 2023. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) on the other hand has not had the highest advertising standards until this month, when it banned the use of the term “free bet” in all marketing material.
Though many operators in PA pivoted off the term before the PGCB’s mandate, FanDuel was one of the first to do so. It changed any “free bet” material it had to “no sweat” for first-time users.
Back in December, Whyte had been worried about the term “free bet” because it wasn’t free. The NCPG brought concerns to operators across the country about the terminology and, at that time, FanDuel was one of the only operators to listen.
“We give FanDuel a lot of credit. They recognized that there were concerns and they listened and changed,” Whyte told PlayPennsylvania in December. “I wish we had a suggested language. I hate complaining about something without saying what you should do instead. But of all the books, only FanDuel listened enough and said ‘OK, we’re going to change it.’”
It’s apparent that FanDuel took responsible gambling seriously before many other operators did.
Responsible gambling tools on FanDuel
Here are “Play Well” tools available for FanDuel users that encourage responsible gambling:
- Deposit Limit: Decide how much you can deposit within a given time period.
- Wager Limit: Decide how much you can wager within a given time period.
- Maximum Wager Size Limit: Decide how much you can wager on a single bet.
- Time Limit: Decide the max daily number of hours you can spend on FanDuel apps.
- Time Out: Decide if you want to take a break from betting.
“This March marks the 20th anniversary of Problem Gambling Awareness Month, and we will once again use this as a moment to demonstrate how FanDuel aims to set the standard for what it means to be a responsible operator,” Amy Howe, FanDuel Group CEO, said in a statement. “Through collaboration with our valued partners, we can continue to raise Responsible Gaming awareness and encourage our customers to incorporate our Play Well tools into their experience.”
