Big rise in lobbying spend by DraftKings

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) giants DraftKings and FanDuel spent $100,000 (€93,000) on lobbying in the US in the fourth quarter of 2015.

A congressional disclosure released this week shows that DraftKings spent $80,000 during the three-month period, which was eight times the amount allocated during the previous quarter. FanDuel’s spending was unchanged on the previous period at $20,000.

The fourth quarter of 2015 saw New York, Illinois and Vermont take action to prohibit the DFS sector, with Nevada ruling that operators must apply for a gambling licence.

The CNBC business news website reported that a FanDuel spokeswoman said the company was "working with lawmakers across the country" to craft regulations that would "protect consumers." A DraftKings spokesman added that it has "actively engaged" with lawmakers to ensure fans can "play the games they love."

Related article: DraftKings and FanDuel call for regulation in New York