FanDuel details 58,000 manual responsible gambling reviews as lawmakers press sportsbooks on targeting and harm detection

FanDuel has published a plain-English summary of how it monitors for suspected gambling harm, saying it carried out more than 58,000 manual responsible gambling reviews over the last year. The timing matters: US lawmakers are asking sharper questions about whether sportsbook technology is being used to identify vulnerable customers and steer them toward more play.

1. On its Fast Facts page, FanDuel says it uses machine learning and risk scoring to monitor behavioral patterns such as unusual deposits, excessive time on site, chasing losses, and concerning customer service interactions. The company says those signals are part of a review process, not an automated decision engine.
2. FanDuel says human reviewers handle the actual assessment. Depending on what they find, the company may recommend gambling education, set limits on a player’s account, or exclude the player from play entirely. In other words: the algorithm flags, people decide.
3. The disclosure comes after a New York Times article featuring former DraftKings employees, who said the company may have used technology to identify players more likely to spend more and then incentivize them with bonus inducements, described in sportsbook jargon as “elasticity.” DraftKings has denied wrongdoing and said its technology is not deployed to the detriment of players.
4. FanDuel says it makes problem gambling resources free through partners such as Kindbridge Behavioral Services. Cory Fox, FanDuel’s senior vice president of public policy and sustainability, told lawmakers that the company’s Responsible Gaming team also monitors deposit and withdrawal history, increases in wager size, canceled withdrawals, and statements made in in-app chat that suggest distress or a gambling problem.
5. The pressure is not just coming from the press. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and US Reps. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Valerie Foushee (D-NC) are leading congressional scrutiny, while the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is currently reviewing the use of AI by licensees. For sportsbooks and PSPs serving this vertical, the message is straightforward: explain your player-risk controls in detail, or expect someone else to do it for you.