Prominent online sports betting platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, and the UK’s bet365 have collectively invested a minimum of $72 million in this ongoing two-year election cycle, aiming for increased sway in state and national policymaking as the U.S. midterms approach.
Of this total, DraftKings has contributed at least $34 million to the Win for America political action committee (PAC), with FanDuel following closely with a minimum of $27 million, as reported by Reuters. Both Bet365 and Fanatics have each made a contribution of $5.5 million, with Bet365 channeling its donations through its U.S. subsidiary, Hillside (Shared Services US) LLC.
Further election data reveals that DraftKings has contributed over $1 million to various other political committees, while FanDuel has added another $2 million to this pool.
This financial backing comes at a time when traditional sportsbooks encounter heightened competition and scrutiny from prediction market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket. The former administration under President Donald Trump has been supportive of the prediction market space, a sector that some within the sports betting industry perceive as a looming rivalry.
According to Public Citizen, the online sports betting sector has emerged as the third-largest corporate contributor in this election cycle, trailing only behind the cryptocurrency and technology industries. The organization states that the sector is backing candidates believed to align with its policy objectives.
The majority of reported spending has flowed through Win for America, a super PAC formed late last year. This PAC allocates funds among two associated political action committees targeting state-level races: American Future, which supports Democratic candidates, and the American Conservative Fund, which advocates for Republicans.
Super PACs have the ability to accept infinite contributions from both businesses and individuals while also having the freedom to spend without limitations in supporting candidates. Nevertheless, they cannot coordinate directly with political campaigns or make direct contributions to them. Public Citizen highlighted that the level of campaign financing via Win for America is unparalleled within the sports betting industry.
“Win for America is evolving into a formidable corporate financing powerhouse,” remarked Rick Claypool, a research director for the nonprofit research organization. He likened it to the massive investments seen from the AI and cryptocurrency sectors, each contributing over $100 million to the midterms.
Political spending is especially noticeable in Georgia, where there are ongoing legislative discussions regarding gambling legalization. State financing records indicate that Win for America has expended upwards of $12 million through American Future and the American Conservative Fund in Georgia’s electoral battles.
Federal election records indicate that the sports betting industry injected $43 million into Win for America in the first quarter, with an additional $29 million contributed in the second quarter. It’s important to note that these figures don’t capture all political expenditures by these companies, as federal disclosures often miss state race contributions and allocations to dark money groups, which are nonprofit entities not obligated to reveal their donors.
DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, and BetMGM collectively established the Sports Betting Alliance in 2021, a trade body created to lobby Congress and state legislatures on laws impacting the legal landscape of online gaming throughout the U.S. Notably, BetMGM has not contributed to Win for America.
The industry’s political engagement has grown alongside the legalization of sports betting. Following a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a federal law restricting most states from legalizing sports betting, 39 states and the District of Columbia have embraced some form of sports wagering, according to data from the American Gaming Association. Online betting is now permitted in 33 states.
Meanwhile, federal lobbying expenditures have surged in recent years, as noted by campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets. Last year, FanDuel allocated $1.1 million towards federal lobbying, a sevenfold increase from its 2024 spending. DraftKings, too, increased its federal lobbying budget to around $900,000, more than doubling its prior annual expenses.