DraftKings Pledges Over $1.5 Million for Responsible Gaming Initiative

The State Council Funding Program will provide responsible gambling councils in 35 states with close to $1.6 million in funds to be used in the fight against problem gambling.
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January 31, 2022

DraftKings, a leader in sports betting and iGaming in the US, has announced it will be giving away over $1.5 million over three years to help local state problem gambling councils with their work.

State councils are local organizations that help victims of problem gambling and promote responsible gambling in their communities by coordinating actions of non-profit organizations, providing them with additional financing, and more.

The DraftKings initiative, dubbed The State Council Funding Program, will look to help the work of state councils in 35 states with $15,000 a year for a period of three years. In total, the initiative will be worth $1,575,000 and it will allow the councils to spend the resources at their own discretion.

“Having spent several years of my career working with the state council in my home state, Massachusetts, I have seen first-hand how these organizations are a tremendous resource for individuals and families and serve as a critical stakeholder and partner for gaming operators,” said Christine Thurmond, Director, Responsible Gaming.

While state councils are widely recognized as one of the best resources actual individuals exposed to problem gambling and their families have at their disposal, they are often under-funded and unable to provide the full scope of care for such people.

“State councils provide a first line of defense for addressing the needs of people impacted by problem gambling,” said Keith Whyte, Executive Director, National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), whose membership includes the 35 State Affiliate Councils.

“While it’s well established that these organizations provide critical assistance in the community, they don’t always have the resources and funds to take treatment and prevention to the next level. This significant initiative by DraftKings shows their commitment to and knowledge of the importance of the work state councils provide.”

The DraftKing donations will be used by the councils to directly help their clients, as well as to improve their programs, educate their staff, attend conferences on responsible gambling, and more.

DraftKings and Responsible Gambling

This is not the first time that DraftKings has been at the front lines of the fight against problem gambling, as the operator has made it a mission to promote responsible gaming at every step.

The operator financed a study into the problem gambling causes and effects last year, which was done by the International Center for Responsible Gambling as a step towards helping with the problem on a global scale.

In June, the DraftKings was the first online sports betting operator to join AGA’s “Have a Plan, Bet Responsibly” campaign, which allowed the campaign to be promoted in their live betting establishments across the US.

In July, DraftKings joined forces with the Cambridge Health Alliance’s Division on Addiction in an attempt to develop a more dedicated staff education program with responsible gambling at its center.

The sportsbook operator continues to promote responsible gambling at every step, and remains the leader in this area among the US sports betting companies, with the latest initiative just another step in a bigger campaign that DraftKings has been leading.

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