Fanatics is launching a casino app as it pushes beyond sports. Here's its plan to fight rivals in a cutthroat market.
On Friday, the company is launching a stand-alone casino app in four states as it expands beyond its bread-and-butter commerce and collectibles businesses. It's also rolling out a web version.
Fanatics entered the gambling fray a few years ago with sports betting and has been adding online casino games like slots, blackjack, and roulette. Its trajectory is familiar in the gambling world, where FanDuel, DraftKings, and others have moved from sports betting to online casinos.
The industry widely views Fanatics as a potential disruptor to FanDuel and DraftKings' market dominance, even as a latecomer to the US market, which has exploded since 2019.
It's competing not only with fantasy sports giants but also with casino brands with Vegas roots, such as BetMGM and Caesars Entertainment, and upstarts like Bet365 and ESPN Bet.
"We've got a big task on our hands," Conor Grant, president of gaming for Fanatics' betting and gaming arm, exclusively told Business Insider. "We're a challenger brand, but the owner of this company loves nothing more than a fight and to prove people wrong."
Fanatics has relied on its brand and database of over 100 million people who have bought jerseys, apparel, or other memorabilia for an edge. Grant called the company's loyalty program its "secret weapon." It gives Fanatics a direct line to potential bettors.
Grant said the casino player Fanatics is targeting now is a bit different from the traditional sports bettor, who is typically more male and mid-to-late 30s. Casino players tend to be female and late 30s or 40s.
However, the company said its database is diverse in terms of demographics and is roughly half men and half women, with a slight male skew.
"What is unique about Fanatics' position is that they have a good product, and they are able to reward people outside of just giving them promotional credits or money to play with," Macquarie analyst Chad Beynon said.
To plug the casino app, Fanatics is running a sweepstakes promotion in May and June to give away $2 million in FanCash. It can be redeemed for casino credits, bonus bets, or merch.
Fanatics said it doesn't have to spend a lot of money on TV ads like others because of its database, though Grant said it also plans to market the casino app on TV, through online ads, and through audio.
Can Fanatics disrupt the new gambling order?
As Fanatics expands its casino business, the gambling industry will be watching to see if it lives up to the hype.
Data from Eilers and Krejcik Gaming presented at a gambling conference in March showed that Fanatics made 2024 year-over-year market share gains in online sports betting and, to a lesser extent, in online casinos. Its growth outpaced challenger brands in the US like ESPN Bet and Bet365, but its overall market share doesn't measure up to established players led by FanDuel and DraftKings.
"At this point, I would say they're slightly below expectations," Beynon said of Fanatics. "I know originally, Michael Rubin had mentioned that he wants a top-three position in the space, which would kind of warrant 10% market share. They haven't been able to achieve that this year or any year so far."
Fanatics said its sportsbook is at or very close to that goal in states where it operates.
Grant said part of the reason Fanatics is launching the stand-alone casino app is to build awareness for the brand beyond sports.
"We want to be the preferred destination for slot players and the US casino players," Grant said. "We want to give them a really special experience with really compelling rewards and unrivaled loyalty."
Steven Ruddock, a gambling industry analyst and consultant, said Fanatics' biggest challenge and opportunity could be its ability to "not just peel off customers" from rivals but also win over new players who haven't gambled before.
So far, Fanatics has mainly focused on cross-selling casino games to sports bettors, who Grant said tend to be more into table games and live dealers. As such, table and live make up roughly two-thirds of the amount wagered on Fanatics' casino games, a metric known as handle, he said. Slots make up the rest.
The company expects that ratio to change with the new app and its growing focus on recreational slot players.
The casino app will include a mix of games, including slots, blackjack, roulette, jackpots, and video poker. It will have both licensed and original games.
Grant, who previously ran Flutter's business in the UK and Ireland, said he's been surprised by how price-sensitive US casino players are compared to those in Europe. He said the company needs to be "really clever and targeted" with whom it's going after.
He said his two biggest priorities for 2025 are establishing Fanatics Casino as a real alternative to the dominant market players in the states where it operates and making the loyalty program appealing to casino players.
"We're an entertainment business, and we want to really entertain customers when they come and they choose to invest their leisure time and their spend with us," Grant said. "We want to make sure we give them a good experience for that."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Multiple PGA Tour Golfers Are Late Additions to U.S. Open Days Before Major Starts
Multiple PGA Tour Golfers Are Late Additions to U.S. Open Days Before Major Starts originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The U.S. Open field of golfers has been solidified, barring any last-minute withdraws. Scottie Scheffler is once again a heavy favorite to win his second consecutive major of 2025 at +275, per DraftKings. Advertisement Rory McIlroy is a distant second at +850 after failing to make the cut at the RBC Canadian Open. A pair of LIV Golf stars are also among the favorites in Bryson DeChambeau at +900, while Jon Rahm is +1200 to round out the top four in the U.S. Open odds. The U.S. Open revealed on Monday that six golfers have been added to the field, headlined by Ryan Fox fresh off his RBC Canadian Open playoff win. Additionally, the following golfers are slated to compete in the major: Doug Ghim, Takumi Kanaya, Chase Johnson, Riki Kawamoto and Eric Cole. Ryan Fox hits on the 1st hold during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Pinehurst No. David Mercer-Imagn Images Oakmont Country Club is expected to present a difficult challenge for even the best golfers. Fox reflected on turning his attention to competing in the major after securing a victory in Toronto. "I saw enough stuff on social media and talked to a couple guys who went earlier this week, and it sounds like it's going to be a proper beat up. It will be fun," Fox noted in a press conference on Sunday after winning the Canadian Open. Advertisement "I've heard it's a fantastic golf course. It's hard, the greens are tricky. They're going to be running scary fast. From what it looks like, the rough is straight hack out. It's going to be a little different than this week," Fox added. "... Probably going to take it easy on Monday and try to figure out Oakmont in two days and see what happens. It's nice to be in the field, that's for sure." Related: Ryan Fox's Epic Canadian Open Playoff Win Draws Strong Message From PGA Tour This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Daniel Jones is laughably gaining traction as a Comeback Player of the Year candidate
Daniel Jones is laughably gaining traction as a Comeback Player of the Year candidate Welcome to Prince's Picks, a collection of betting news, analysis and opinions from BetFTW senior writer Prince J. Grimes. ESPN's Get Up was playing in the background this morning as I was going through my usual routine of checking emails and catching up on news when I heard something that stopped me in my tracks. I can't recall verbatim what was said, but it was the voice of respected NFL analyst Peter Schrager and he said something to the effect of "Daniel Jones can win NFL Comeback Player of the Year." In fact, he was quite convinced that it could happen. I was so shocked by what I was hearing, I had to check social media to confirm I wasn't imagining it. Sure enough, others heard the same thing. As a New York Giants fan who has seen every game Jones has ever played, I couldn't help but laugh. Glad it's someone else falling for the Danny Dimes trap this time. Of course, there's logic behind Schrager's take. Indy's incumbent starter, Anthony Richardson, is dealing with shoulder inflammation that could potentially impact his availability for the start of training camp. Bleeding reps to a veteran like Jones is the last thing that can be afforded by an inexperienced quarterback like Richardson, who has struggled to start his career. Given the opportunity, Jones might just prove to be the better of the two -- the quarterback who gives the Colts the best chance to win. The man who will undoubtedly take every Colts fan's hopes for the 2025 season, crumble them into a ball and throw them right into the waste bin -- if he doesn't fumble 'em first. DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE. TANK SEASON: Jones leading tank for Arch Manning would be poetry I guess now is when I should mention there is some hype -- even outside of Schrager's proclamation. At FanDuel, Jones' odds to win Comeback Player of the Year moved from +3800 to +3000 after Thursday's news that Richardson would miss Colts minicamp. Jones still trails 11 other players but those odds are a huge leap for someone who wasn't even on the board at places like BetMGM and Caesars. Now, Jones isn't just on the board, next to names like Stefon Diggs and Chris Godwin, his odds are actually better than Richardson (+3000). Again, I say, LOL. This is absurd for more reasons than one. Aside from the obvious "Daniel Jones?!?" factor, this is also a loaded field with actual pro bowl-level talent, led by Aidan Hutchinson and Dak Prescott at +300 apiece. Christian McCaffrey at +370 is there too. Even if Jones has a good season by his standards, he isn't likely to outplay that caliber of player. That's before we get to the part where he still has to beat out Richardson. So, no. Daniel Jones is not winning Comeback Player of the Year. But I get the temptation to believe in the potential of his skillset. It's all there. Unfortunately, the production never is. Where is Tyrese Haliburton? By the looks of the above photo, he's in jail. Lu Dort prison. Completely locked up. The stats tell a similar story. Tyrese Haliburton has just 31 points through two games of the NBA Finals. If not for his latest heroics in Game 1, he'd be catching a lot more smoke for completely disappearing this series. Particularly in the first half of these games where he almost seems reluctant to shoot. That can't continue. What's become obvious after the Oklahoma City Thunder won Monday's Game 2 is if Haliburton doesn't break out, this is going to be an incredibly short series. If you subtract the fourth quarter of Game 1, where the Indiana Pacers outscored OKC by 10 points, the Thunder are outscoring Indy by 25 points over two games. They should be up 2-0. If we accept the fluky nature of Game 1 for what it is, this series is going exactly how most of us expected it would. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is getting anything he wants and Indiana has finally found its match in a defense up to the challenge of stifling its normally free-flowing offense. The only player potentially capable of manipulating this trend is Haliburton, but even he seems flummoxed. That's why I'm here to say the Pacers won't win another game -- even with the series shifting to Indiana. The Thunder are still getting +190 odds to win in five and that's exactly what I expect to happen. This, of course, hinges on the Thunder remaining locked in the way they were for Game 2, where they kept a foot on the pedal to ensure another miracle Pacers comeback didn't happen. But if they are, the Pacers don't have anything for an OKC team clicking on all cylinders. Minus a SuperHali appearance, the Pacers' best hope is for a raucous home crowd to rattle the visiting Thunder. At this stage of the postseason, though, that's probably unlikely. OKC is a 5.5-point road favorite. Thanks to Game 1, this series won't end in a sweep, but the next-closest thing is now the most likely result. Oilers-Panthers Game 3 The Stanley Cup Final shifts to Sunrise, Florida, Monday for Game 3 between the Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, and if the first two OT thrillers were any indication, we're in for another incredible game. In case you're wondering, they have +333 odds at BetMGM to go to overtime yet again. The interesting thing here, though, is how the series odds have shifted in favor of Florida after the cats were able to steal a game on the road, taking Game 2 Friday behind two Brad Marchand goals, including the winner. Now, the Panthers are small -115 favorites to win the Cup going into a Game 3 where they're -135 favorites to win. And betting money isn't just on a win, but the first big win of the series. At BetMGM, the Panthers are getting 68 percent of money on the moneyline and 57 percent of money on the -1.5 puck line. If they follow through on those bets, series odds will shift dramatically in their favor going into what will become a must-win Game 4 for the Oilers on the road. So, tonight's game might be the most important of the series.
CNN
9 hours ago
- CNN
Sports betting is legal and growing more popular. Harassment of athletes by angry gamblers is rising too
Gabby Thomas being harassed at last weekend's Grand Slam Track meet was shocking – except, actually, it wasn't, given how often it seems to be happening. Thomas, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, said she was verbally abused at the meet, reporting on X that a 'grown man followed me around the track as I took pictures and signed autographs for fans (mostly children) shouting personal insults.' Thomas' statement was in reply to another post on X – which has since been deleted – showing a video of a person heckling Thomas while she was on the starting line, shouting, 'You're a choke artist; you're going down, Gabby.' The social media user bragged about how his actions had benefitted his bet, writing: 'I made Gabby lose by heckling her. And it made my parlay win,' alongside a screenshot of two multi-leg bets on the FanDuel sportsbook platform. FanDuel said it had banned the person responsible for the abuse from its platform, explaining it 'condemns in the strongest terms abusive behavior directed towards athletes.' 'Threatening or harassing athletes is unacceptable and has no place in sports. This customer is no longer able to wager with FanDuel,' the statement shared with CNN Sports added. It was in 2018 that the US Supreme Court struck down a 1992 federal law, which had prohibited most states from allowing sports betting. Gambling on sports is now legal in 39 states, which experts warn has opened the floodgates for a torrent of abuse towards professional and collegiate leagues from bettors who blame them for their financial losses. In March, the NCAA launched a campaign aimed at tackling what it described as 'the alarming prevalence of abuse and harassment student-athletes face from angry fans who lost a bet.' According to an analysis of abusive messages sent via social media to college athletes, coaches and officials during the Division I championships, 12% – some 740 messages – were related to sports betting, according to the NCAA. Instances of such messages included one user who threatened a college athlete with the message, 'Yo no big deal but if you don't get 22 points and 12 boards everyone you know and love will Be dead,' according to the analysis, which was produced with Signify Group. Meanwhile, over 540 abusive betting-related messages – including death threats – were leveled at men's and women's basketball student-athletes and game officials during March Madness, a preliminary set of data trends found. Clint Hangebrauck, managing director of enterprise risk management at the NCAA told CNN: 'I think athletes are under attack right now, frankly, on social media and in person, and a lot of the people slinging the biggest bullets are sports bettors.' Hangebrauck, who has worked at the NCAA for 15 years, said that there has been a surge of athletes receiving abuse since the federal ban on sports betting was struck down, adding that in certain states – including Ohio and North Carolina – a barrage of abuse towards student athletes was 'almost immediate.' The NCAA is now seeking a ban on proposition bets, colloquially known as prop bets, on college athletes, calling the phenomenon 'a mental health nightmare.' Prop bets are made on outcomes not associated with the final score and are often based on individual performances. 'You could even perform well, and you're receiving all this negative feedback from betters because you didn't hit specific betting lines,' Hangebrauck added, noting that about half of the states that do allow gambling in the US have banned prop bets on student athletes. Jason Lopez, assistant professor in the Department of Communication Arts at the University of Wisconsin told CNN Sports: 'The way that the newly legalized sports betting universe works is that it's very common to make prop bets where, even though it's a team sport, you can actually bet on the performance of individual players.' 'It turns what could be a team game into an individual performance, too. And so it's easy to then focus whatever anger you have on the bet at individual players,' Lopez, whose research focuses on sports media and betting, explained. The issue of bettors harassing athletes is widespread across sporting disciplines, with tennis and NBA players reporting instances of abuse. For a few professional athletes, it's an opportunity to punch back. In reply to a social media user who gave him grief about his seeming nonchalance over a bad performance in a game, NBA superstar Kevin Durant posted on X in November 2024, 'Stop blaming me for losing money because you have a gambling problem.' Great dub suns, and for my parlayers, better luck next time lol For others, however, social media comments made cross any acceptable line. In the past few weeks, MLB players Lance McCullers Jr. and Liam Hendriks have both reported that their families have been on the receiving end of death threats. Houston Astros pitcher McCullers Jr. revealed he received threats from a man who took to social media and threatened to find his kids and 'murder them.' The Houston Police Department later traced these threats to an intoxicated sports bettor from overseas who had lost money betting on the Astros' May 10 game against the Cincinnati Reds, per Reuters. Boston Red Sox pitcher Hendriks reported similar abuse, telling that 'with the rise of sports gambling, it's gotten a lot worse.' 'Threats against my life and my wife's life are horrible and cruel,' Hendriks wrote in a post on his Instagram Stories, according to 'You need help. Comments telling me to commit suicide and how you wish I died from cancer is disgusting and vile. Maybe you should take a step back and re-evaluate your life's purpose before hiding behind a screen attacking players and their families. He added: 'Whether it be Venmo requests, whether it be people telling you in their comments, 'Hey, you blew my parlay. Go f*ck yourself,' kind of stuff. And then it's, 'Go hang yourself. You should kill yourself. I wish you died from cancer.' 'That one kind of hit a little too close to home for me with everything I've gone through,' Hendriks, who in 2023 announced he had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, added. Joe Maloney, senior vice president of strategic communications for the American Gaming Association, told CNN Sports in a statement: 'The outcome of a bet is never an invitation to harass or threaten athletes, coaches, or officials. Abuse of any kind has no place in sports.' 'The legal, regulated industry offers the transparency and accountability needed to identify bad actors and collaborate with leagues, regulators, and law enforcement to deter misconduct and enforce consequences. Unlike illegal and unregulated market apps or bookies, legal operators work every day to uphold the integrity of competition and ensure a responsible wagering environment,' Maloney added. Lopez pointed out that, while sports betting has only recently been legalized and commercialized across the United States, most sports have been associated with wagering since their beginnings, albeit in a more underground capacity up until recently. 'There's just a basic fact about (sports) companies and organizations that run these games for entertainment which is that gambling helps increase interest – it drives interest. So they like all the betting that's happening around them; it builds interest in their sport. 'Their athletes being abused, especially if they're collegiate athletes, could harm their entertainment product. So they have to take very public stances about this in order to try to mitigate the idea that you know this entertainment product is putting people at risk,' he added. Hangebrauck added to CNN: 'I think there's a responsible way to engage in sports betting, and a lot of fans and people do so. Ninety-six percent of people overall generally lose in sports betting in the long run, so just be responsible about how you react to that – own it yourself.'
