SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Florida’s Southern District Court has recorded an amended nationwide lawsuit filed against DFS operators DraftKings and FanDuel plus related industry stakeholders including investors, US pro leagues (NHL, MLB and NBA), associated media owners and payment processors.
The lawsuit filed by Florida Attorney Ervin Gonzalez on behalf of DFS players’ Antonio Gomez and John Gerecs was charged against approximately 50 DFS related companies/individuals.
The amended filing charges industry associated stakeholders with consumer negligence and knowingly promoting illegal ‘betting’ services through DFS products. Furthermore the lawsuit claims that consumers were “lured” to play DFS services, through “deceptive” advertising practices.
Ervin Gonzalez casts a wide net of implicated companies and stakeholders which the lawsuit claims have helped grow an illegal sector targeting US consumers. The lawsuit therefore has a right to charge companies, individuals and media owners who have benefitted from DFS activities.
The Florida charge has been made as US pro leagues are reported to be reviewing their associations with the DFS industry and in particular its relation with DraftKings and FanDuel. The NFL will debate team interest and promotion of DFS operators at its scheduled NFL franchise owners meeting on 2 December.
At present the following companies, sports leagues and media owners have been implicated in the amended Florida lawsuit.
- NBA
- NHL
- MLB
- MLS
- Kraft Group – Robert Kraft
- Legends Hospitality – Jerry Jones
- MSG Entertainment – James Dolan
- Turner Sports
- Fox Sports
- NBC Sports
- Comcast
- JP Morgan
- Capital One
- Google Capital
- Piton Capital
- Scottish Investment Bank
- PayPal
- Paysafe
- Vantiv
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
