FanDuel says it conducted 58,000 manual responsible gaming reviews over the last year, part of a problem play detection system the operator is now laying out publicly as it faces questions from Congress.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Reps. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Valerie Foushee (D-NC) wrote in September that they were “unconvinced” FanDuel is making an active effort to protect bettors, and demanded “real answers” about its consumer protections and VIP program.
The operator’s “Fast Facts” page details how it flags problem play, its underage gambling safeguards and statistics on bettor spending. It does not mention the VIP program.
How FanDuel says it flags problem play
Artificial intelligence and machine learning have drawn scrutiny over how operators use them to target promotions, with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission reviewing how every operator in the state uses the technology. FanDuel says it uses machine learning to identify problem gambling.
“We use machine learning and risk scoring to monitor behavioral patterns like unusual deposits, excessive time on site, chasing losses, and concerning customer service interactions,” the company said on the Fast Facts page.
Flagged customers are reviewed manually by a team of trained professionals, who use set criteria to determine whether a customer is at risk of gambling harm. Depending on the review, customers may receive responsible gambling education, have limits placed on their accounts or be excluded from FanDuel entirely. At-risk customers are also connected to free mental health resources through partners like Kindbridge Behavioral Services.
The page overlaps with FanDuel senior vice president of public policy and sustainability Cory Fox’s explanation to Blumenthal, Tonko and Foushee in August on how the company protects bettors from financial hardship and addiction. Fox pointed to tools customers can use themselves, including deposit alerts and limits, wager limits, loss limits and time limits.
“Beyond the tools customers use themselves, FanDuel’s Responsible Gaming team proactively monitors a wide range of behavioral indicators across the platform, including deposit and withdrawal history, increases in wager size, canceled withdrawals, and statements customers make through our in-app chat that suggest distress or a gambling problem,” Fox wrote.
“When our team identifies risk, we proactively respond with actions ranging from educational outreach to a mandatory limit, to a temporary suspension, to permanent exclusion.”
Fox added that any customer who admits to a gambling problem is permanently excluded from every FanDuel product. Company policy is not to encourage those customers to return.
Sports betting stats
Citing a 2025 NerdWallet study, the operator said the median sports bettor spends around $63 a month on gambling. FanDuel compared that to the $329 the average American spends dining out each month, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Eighty-four percent of bettors wager once a month or less, according to research published in the Journal of Financial Literacy and Wellbeing, while about 9% bet weekly. Only 5% bet a few times a week and 2% bet daily. The operator said it sees “similar trends” in its own data:
- The average Same Game Parlay bet is about $14
- 90% of Same Game Parlays are $30 or less and 60% are $5 or less
- The average sportsbook user deposits less than once a week
FanDuel also compared its sign-up process to opening a bank account. All customers must provide their name, date of birth and Social Security number and complete “a thorough identity verification process.”
The operator said it immediately closes accounts used for underage or proxy betting under a “zero-tolerance policy.” It also reports cases to law enforcement or regulators as required.
