PaddyPower Betfair has entered a definitive agreement to acquire leading US DFS business FanDuel, it confirmed to the London market last week. FanDuel, one of the big two operators in the US DFS market alongside DraftKings, will be merged with PPB’s Betfair US business to target the prospective US sports betting market, following the repeal of the federal ban by the US Supreme Court last week. PaddyPower Betfair will contribute its existing US assets plus $158m in cash for a 61% share of the combined business, with FanDuel investors owning the other 39%. “A mechanism” has been agreed to take…

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

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) operator FanDuel has closed its operations in the UK market. FanDuel informed players of its decision via email and also confirmed its exit via a posting on its official Twitter account. In a message on its website, FanDuel said that it hoped to return to the UK “in the future”, but did not officially disclose the reasons behind the move. Players who have funds left in their account will have their balance credited to their most recent bank card and will also receive an email confirming payment. 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…

Fanduel has entered into a partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the sister league of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Under the deal the DFS brand will serve as the official one-day fantasy partner of the WNBA. FanDuel will launch the ‘Official One-Day Fantasy Game of the WNBA’, which will allow fans to compete against each other for daily WNBA prizes. The game, which will launch ahead of the new WNBA season that tips off this weekend, is available via their website, the FanDuel mobile application and the WNBA website. FanDuel will also launch the ‘WNBA Tip-Off Challenge’,…