Daily fantasy sports provider wants a UK gambling licence

Eagle-eyed industry observers trawling the UK Gambling Commission website have made the startling discovery that the high-profile US daily fantasy sports market leader DraftKings has applied for software and pool betting licenses, clearly with an eye on the highly competitive British sports betting market.

DraftKings has in the past made no secret of its overall ambitions to grow both within and outside the United States market, but targeting the UK market would be a bold move with so many top flight groups already occupying the conventional betting space, although there are probably areas in which DraftKings’ particular focus could give it an advantage.

Observers have also suggested that by tacitly accepting that its activities need a gambling licence in the UK, the company is contradicting its official stance in the USA that DSF operations do not constitute gambling…unless of course DraftKings has something different in mind for UK punters.

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