Sportsbooks’ predatory tactics now extend to grooming minors
October 22, 2026
Just when you thought the sportsbook industry couldn’t stoop any lower, now we find out that FanDuel is targeting the children of its biggest losers (“VIP bettors”) with free trips to the Philadelphia Zoo. Addiction experts told the Philadelphia Inquirer that FanDuel appears to be grooming children to become problem gamblers.
This is just the latest example of FanDuel and other sportsbooks embracing predatory tactics to target vulnerable populations. The Inquirer reported last month that FanDuel used a personalized video from Bryce Harper as part of their efforts to ensure a gambling addict would keep on betting against–and losing to–the house.
DraftKings is just as predatory. The New York Times reported last month that the sportsbook is using AI to identify problematic gamblers–so they can encourage them to spiral further into addiction.
This is sick behavior and the sportsbooks should stop it.
