FanDuel is defending its practices amid scrutiny of its VIP program, citing a $5 median sportsbook wager and research showing that most U.S. sports bettors wager relatively small amounts.
- Lawmakers are demanding information about FanDuel's use of personalized celebrity videos in its VIP program.
- A study found that 60% of U.S. sports bettors typically wagered $20 or less.
- The study also found that 84% of U.S. sports bettors wager no more frequently than monthly.
Last Friday, FanDuel published a post on its website that combined insights from academic studies, consumer research, and national surveys with its in-house data to reveal consumer behavior.
The majority of sports bettors wager relatively small amounts of money. A 2026 study in the Journal of Financial Literacy and Wellbeing found that 60% of surveyed sports bettors typically wagered $20 or less, while 68% reported a largest single-day loss of $50 or less in the previous year.
FanDuel cited an estimate that the median sports bettor spends about $63 per month on gambling - less than 20% of the $329 that is spent on dining out in the average month.
FanDuel said its average same-game parlay wager was about $14, with 90% of such wagers at $30 or less and 60% at $5 or less.
The U.S. sports betting giant also shared data on customer habits relating to wagering frequency. Eighty-four percent of sports bettors wagered no more frequently than monthly, while 9.4% bet weekly, 4.7% wagered a few times per week, and 2.3% bet daily. FanDuel said its average sportsbook customer deposited money less than once a week.
“We believe transparency starts with understanding our approach,” FanDuel’s Fast Facts page reads. “FanDuel’s goal is to provide customers with a fun way to connect more deeply with the sports and teams they care about.”
Pushback on FanDuel’s practices
FanDuel's VIP program drew scrutiny on Oct. 6, when Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Reps. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.) sought information about personalized videos they said may have been used to exploit vulnerable customers.
The scrutiny stems partly from a personalized video featuring Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper that FanDuel sent to a customer who reportedly lost large sums on the platform. Lawmakers questioned whether the video was used to encourage further betting.
“While FanDuel claimed it ‘has not used personalized videos or messages to induce customers to continue gambling,’ that statement is clearly contradicted by the fact that the video of Mr. Harper that gave rise to these concerns was sent to an individual that had lost $1.5 million on bets on your platform,” Blumenthal, Tonko, and Foushee wrote in a letter to FanDuel CEO Christian Genetski on Oct. 6.
FanDuel claims the personalized videos they sent to bettors featuring athletes & celebrities weren’t used to entice gambling. Well, FanDuel let’s see the receipts. I’m demanding these videos & more info about how the VIP programs target problem gamblers. https://t.co/2Gz7t3p1gF
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) October 7, 2026
FanDuel acknowledged sending approximately 30 personalized athlete and celebrity videos to customers over two years. The company also cited Gallup research showing that reported participation in sports betting was higher in the late 1980s and 1990s than it is today.
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Responsible gaming efforts
FanDuel pointed to its responsible gaming tools, including spending limits, alerts and self-exclusion. Lawmakers questioned whether those safeguards are sufficient, particularly given their concerns about how customer data may be used for personalized promotions.
“In addition, FanDuel claims to monitor a range of behaviors through ‘automated and manual proactive reviews to identify players who may be experiencing gambling harm,’ yet does not provide a full picture of how it uses this information, including whether that same data is used to target bettors with such predatory promotions,” Blumenthal, Tonko, and Foushee wrote.
