Daily fantasy sports operator DraftKings has hired a “Head of Sportsbook” to deal with its aspirations in the sports betting space, the company announced on Monday. DraftKings also noted that it is opening an office in New Jersey. That’s in addition to existing offices in Boston and New York. The company started indicating its interest in the sports wagering space in 2017. The new hire obviously escalates those plans. DraftKings CEO Jason Robins talked about sports wagering just a few days ago. The potential for legalization of sports wagering around the US looms with the pending New Jersey sports betting…

Jason Robins, chief executive and co-founder of DraftKings, has said the potential wider legalisation of sports betting in the US represents an “enormous” growth opportunity for the company. Speaking to Xconomy.com, Robins said the firm, which has distanced itself from sports betting in the past due to potential legal issues regarding its daily fantasy sports (DFS) service, is waiting on the verdict of the ongoing ‘PASPA’ case. The state of New Jersey is currently heading up an effort to overturn the federal 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). PASPA makes it unlawful for government entities to sponsor, operate,…

DraftKings and FanDuel have each agreed to pay more than $1m (€830,000) to resolve allegations of consumer-unfriendly practices in the US state of Massachusetts. Coinciding with the start of the new NFL American football season, both daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators are to pay $1.3m in a deal announced by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. The authorities in the state last year proposed a raft of consumer protection regulations, including restrictions on advertising that reflected the average DFS player’s slim chances of winning anything. More at iGaming Business

DraftKings and FanDuel have scrapped their merger plans after initial proposals were rejected by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). An initial scheduling conference with the FTC national consumer protection agency was set to occur before an administrative judge today (Friday), but the two daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators announced on Thursday that they will now seek to pursue their own development. A deal between the two companies had been mooted for some time and an agreement was announced in November 2016. However, the FTC, estimating the pair held 90% of the US market, raised concerns over the impact the…

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has said that it will seek to block the proposed merger between daily fantasy sports (DFS) companies DraftKings and FanDuel. According to reports in the US, the FTC has raised concerns over how the deal could impact competition in the US DFS sector, forecasting that the combined company would control over 90% of the domestic market. The FTC, along with attorneys general in California and the District of Columbia, will file for a complaint in federal district court and seek a preliminary injunction to block the deal. “This merger would deprive customers of the…

Players have been anticipating the rumored merger between fantasy sports giants DraftKings and FanDuel for many months. Now, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission may throw a wrench into the deal. Also, there is fantasy news from Germany. This week’s special offer is from bet365 Poker, where you can get a €100 bonus and Tournament Tickets Worth €5 free!