A Los Angeles-based company called Cheddr said it’s building the “TikTok of sports wagering.” The app is not yet live, but after launch, it will be available in over 40 states, the company’s website states.
The company is backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), a Silicon Valley venture capital firm.
The website has a graphic showing that users would be able to purchase “coins” and receive “Cheddr Cash” as a “bonus” to play with. It appears to be — or similar to — the “sweepstakes” dual currency model.
In October, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill to ban sweepstakes gambling platforms. It’s unclear how Cheddr would operate within California law. It may have to abandon the sweepstakes business model.
News of Cheddr’s product went viral on social media in late October. The vast majority of comments appeared to condemn such a product. A YouTube video previewing the product was uploaded in March 2025.
“It’s sports wagering at the pace of a slot machine,” the video said.
‘Swiping’ and Gambling
From what Gambling Harm can tell, Cheddr’s key design feature appears to be a swiping mechanic. Sports fans could swipe through hundreds, if not thousands, of bets each game they’re watching.
If you don’t like a bet, you swipe instantly to the next.
It also resembles the mechanics of a dating app such as Tinder.
Here’s the company description on the venture capital firm’s website:
“Cheddr is a real-money sports wagering app built for the mass market, legally operating in 46 states—nearly twice as many as DraftKings.
Sports betting is a massive industry, with $150 billion wagered annually in the U.S. A staggering 25% of adults and 82% of all male college students place bets each year. Yet, online sportsbooks are only legal in 25 states, and most platforms exclude players under 21. Existing options tend to be complex, often resembling Excel spreadsheets with little social interaction or engagement.
We are building the TikTok of sports wagering—a sportsbook legal in 46 states (about twice as many as DraftKings). We feature an easy-to-use UI, gamification, and live in-game micro-betting, which is powered by partnerships with the NFL.
The Cheddr team has 30+ years of combined experience in sweepstakes, skill, and real-money games. CEO Jason Krupat is a serial entrepreneur who previously raised funding from Drive by DraftKings for a crypto skill games platform.”
Editor’s note: In the U.S., online sports betting is actually legal in 30 states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Cheddr Sports Betting App Concerns
It appears that Cheddr’s product had been conceived prior to the California sweepstakes gambling ban. Nonetheless, a plan to further blend social media with gambling raises red flags.
TikTok and similar apps with a swiping mechanic are habit-forming and addictive. A sportsbook betting app designed to mimic TikTok could harm users.
Sports gambling harm affects half of online bettors. More than half of online bettors chase losses. Upping the ante on habit-forming features could increase gambling harm in society.
On average, 8 to 10 people around someone with a gambling problem also experience harm.
A sportsbook app modeled after TikTok would likely appeal to younger users, who are more vulnerable to gambling addiction.
The development of a “Cheddr” sports betting app comes amid a growing gambling addiction crisis in the U.S. Many forms of online gambling are causing harm to people in the U.S.
In late October, Google announced an update to YouTube’s gambling content policy. The move could lead to removal of any betting content featuring Cheddr.
Cheddr Gambling Help
The growing popularity of sports betting apps will cause more people to be exposed to addiction.
You are not alone if you’ve developed an addiction to these platforms. You should consider talking to a therapist or counselor for help quitting gambling.
A gambling prevention or recovery coach could also help you or someone you know. Studies have shown that half of online bettors experience problems with their play.
Discover more from GamblingHarm.org
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