Will a Daily Fantasy Site Become a Sportsbook?

One might say that the gambling business, especially online, is close to becoming saturated. The sports betting industry is dominated by a handful of major groups that cover the markets that allow this type of business to be run, and the small holes they leave are covered by independent operators, ₤1 deposit casinos, bingo halls and such. Is there still room for another major player to join their ranks? Well, there might be, especially in a market that was, for decades, off-limits for international gambling businesses. And DraftKings, one of the biggest names on the United States’ daily fantasy sports market, might be preparing to make its move once it becomes possible.

This year, DraftKings presented a new and exciting feature for its mobile users: the possibility to follow the matches of EuroLeague Basketball live on their smartphones, from within the DraftKings app. The company announced this new feature at Web Summit Lisbon, an event gathering all the biggest names in the online business to the capital of Portugal, this October. Through a deal struck by the two companies earlier this year, DraftKings will become one of the channels through which cord-cutters will be able to enjoy EuroLeague Basketball matches on the go – for those unfamiliar with the brand, EuroLeague is the highest-tier basketball league in Europe, basically the equivalent of the NBA. This is a big first not only for DraftKings but the whole industry as well: for the first time, daily fantasy games, the result of which depends on the outcome of a sports event, and the event itself will become available from within the same platform.

Sports betting operators have been offering their users the possibility to follow the games they bet on through live streaming for years. But this is the first time such a service finds its way to DFS. The service will draw interest – and, without a doubt, revenue – to both platforms, resulting in a mutually beneficial relationship for both parties, and the players themselves. And EuroLeague is just the first in the series of other sports that will likely follow its lead, at least this is what DraftKings hopes.

After all, it is already a huge brand that is very well known by sports fans. And when (or “if”) sports betting is legalized in the United States, it would have a huge head start compared to other – new or existing – businesses on the market. And sports betting might just become a possibility in the US in the near future, as more and more voices – including some inside the largest sports leagues in the country – are starting to change their stance on the matter.