FanDuel sued by convicted NFL executive over gambling addiction

FanDuel was sued by a former Jacksonville Jaguars executive who admitted to stealing more than $22 million from the team, but says the website knew he was an addicted gambler and offered him more than $1 million in credits and “lavish” gifts to make sure he continued to place bets.

The complaint by Amit Patel, who pleaded guilty in December and was sentenced to 78 months behind bars in March, alleges that FanDuel ignored its own responsible gaming protocols and “actively and intentionally targeted and preyed” on him with incentives to feed his addiction. The suit in U.S. federal court in New York is seeking more than $250 million in damages.

The suit comes as signs of betting addiction are increasing following a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a law banning sports betting in most states. Since then, major sportsbooks have stepped in, drawing in more than $100 billion in bets just last year, rising by more than a quarter from the year before, and bettors can now risk money on sports ranging from South Korean baseball to Chilean soccer.