The Harmdown: Weekly Report – Nov. 21, 2025

Each Friday, The Harmdown will give you a recap of the week’s news in the world of gambling-related consumer protection and addiction prevention and treatment, as well as relevant gambling industry news.

Baltimore Scores Big Win in DraftKings, FanDuel Lawsuit – TDR

Context: The City of Baltimore is attempting to protect its residents from allegedly illegal and harmful business practices by DraftKings and FanDuel. A federal judge ruled that the lawsuit can return to state court rather than remain in federal court. DraftKings and FanDuel have appealed. The lawsuit, which was filed in April 2025, could have major implications for how local governments protect consumers from harm associated with state-sanctioned betting operators.

CFTC Nominee Refuses to Answer Gambling Questions – Senate.gov

Context: CFTC chair nominee Mike Selig repeatedly dodged senators’ basic questions about whether “prediction markets” and “event contracts” are a form of gambling, insisting he would defer to the courts. His refusal to define gambling or commit to enforcing existing rules alarmed lawmakers, as the ambiguity effectively gives prediction markets a green light. Meanwhile, consumers and problem gamblers remain exposed to harm. The Senate Agriculture Committee approved Selig by a narrow, partisan vote. The full Senate will soon weigh in on his nomination.

DraftKings, FanDuel Leave Gambling Lobby – GamblingHarm.org

Context: Amid a growing row over so-called “prediction markets” — a controversial form of online gambling — DraftKings and FanDuel relinquished their memberships to the casino industry’s top lobbying group. The online gambling firms will soon debut their new prediction products in states where online sports gambling is not legal under state law.

36% of DI Men’s Basketball Players Harassed by Bettors – NCAA.org

Context: A large percentage of student-athletes reported experiencing social media abuse related to sports betting within the last year, while 29% reported having interacted with a student on campus who had placed a bet on their team. No comparable stats are available for pro sports. A recent U.S. News survey found that 21% of sports gamblers admit to verbal abuse. Sports betting and anger issues are linked.

Harvard Invests in FanDuel Parent Company – GamblingHarm.org

Context: Harvard’s endowment recently purchased shares of Flutter Entertainment plc, the parent company of FanDuel, according to a holdings report. On Nov. 14, 2025, Harvard Management Co. Inc. filed a 13F-HR form disclosing ownership of 115,481 shares of Flutter valued at $29.3 million as of Sept. 30, 2025. It raises concerns about investing in industries that cause widespread harm. Harvard’s endowment previously divested from the tobacco and fossil fuel industries.

Michigan Bills Would Tighten Rules on Online Gambling Ads – HDT

Context: Some Michigan lawmakers are taking action to address the harms from legal online sports/casino gambling and the associated advertising. The bills would require the Michigan Gaming Control Board to approve advertisements in an effort to better protect the public. The state has one of the largest online gambling markets in the U.S., and addiction rates are soaring. There are also federal efforts to regulate online betting advertising.

New Jersey Sets Another Online Casino Gambling Record – NJ DGE

Context: Internet casino gambling win for New Jersey casinos and their partners was $260.3 million for October 2025, up 21.8% when compared to $213.6 million in October 2024. It was a record for a single month in New Jersey’s online casino gambling market. Year-to-date player losses were $2.39 billion through October 2025, up 22.6% when compared to $1.95 billion for the prior year-to-date period.

Polymarket CEO Calls Rival Sportsbooks ‘A Scam’ – GamblingHarm.org

Context: Despite recently congratulating DraftKings for its move into so-called “prediction markets” gambling, Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan called the traditional online sports gambling model “a scam.” He said DraftKings and FanDuel “profile” their users and cause harm. It was a puzzling statement, considering Polymarket users can also experience addiction.

Bally Bet Fined $10,000 in Iowa Over PayPal Credit Deposits – IRGC

Context: The state of Iowa fined Bally Bet, an Iowa-licensed online sports gambling app, for allowing PayPal credit deposits, which are illegal. Gambling on credit can cause severe harm to individuals and families. A handful of sports betting states ban the use of credit for funding a sportsbook account.

LA Sportsbooks Can Lobby, Ethics Board Says – Louisiana Illuminator

Context: Online gambling companies apparently have found a legal loophole to influence Louisiana public policy. The state prohibits casino companies and executives from making state political contributions. However, that ban doesn’t apply to sports gambling operations, according to a surprise decision from the Louisiana Board of Ethics. 

NV Gaming Regulators Approve $7.8M Fine Against Caesars – LVRJ

Context: Casino operator Caesars allowed convicted illegal bookmaker Matthew Bowyer to launder money through its properties. It was the third disciplinary action taken this year involving Bowyer, with fines of $10.5 million assessed to Resorts World Las Vegas and its parent company, Genting Berhad, in March, and an $8.5 million fine against MGM Resorts International in April. Bowyer took bets from Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, a gambling addict who is currently incarcerated.

Senate Commerce Committee Probes MLB Gambling – Senate.gov

Context: The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has requested information from the commissioner of Major League Baseball on allegations of gambling corruption in the league. The request follows indictments of two pitchers related to alleged corruption of single-pitch wagers. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has said he will comply with the Senate inquiry.

Former NCAA Player Admits to Point-Shaving Involvement – ESPN

Context: Former University of New Orleans men’s basketball player Dae Dae Hunter acknowledged his role in a point-shaving scheme to ABC’s “Good Morning America.” He was motivated to get money to pay for his newborn child, showing how vulnerable athletes can be preyed upon by sports gamblers.

Nearly 40% of Utahns Believe Betting Is Bad for Society – Deseret News

Context: Despite not experiencing the brunt of the harms of legal online sports gambling, a growing number of Utahns believe the industry is bad for society. A November Morning Consult poll showed 38% of Utahns see sports betting in this light. An October Pew Research Center poll found that 43% of U.S. adults nationally see legal sports gambling as bad for society, up significantly from 2022.

5 Million Brits Want to Reduce or Quit Gambling – Gamble Aware

Context: The latest U.K. figures now show 1.4 million people are problem gamblers, with a further 1.6 million at risk. However, millions more want to quit gambling when asked directly about it. The extent of gambling harm is often under-reported in surveys.

Anti-Queens Casino Rally Draws Massive Crowd – QNS.com

Context: Queens protesters slammed billionaire Steve Cohen’s casino plan as “irresponsible,” alleging that state Sen. John Liu and Gov. Kathy Hochul have “sold out” and been “bought.” Some cited an op-ed penned by Liu in 2024 acknowledging that casinos target Asian-American communities through “aggressive ad targeting” and lead to “problem gambling, addiction, and other social, economic and health concerns.”

Kalshi Launches NBA Prop Bets – FOS

Context: In a brazen, tone-deaf decision amid mounting concern over the integrity of NBA games related to prop bets, the so-called “prediction” gambling website Kalshi debuted NBA props. It’s unclear how prediction market platforms can effectively detect suspected insider betting.

Tennessee Sets Record Sports Gambling Handle – TN SWAC

Context: Tennessee, an online-only sports gambling state, announced that gross wagers for October 2025 totaled $658 million, the first time gross wagers crossed $600 million in a month. Despite the rise of federally-approved prediction markets, some states are still seeing record betting handle increases.

Kalshi CEO Squirms When Pressed On Trump Jr. Role – CBS Sunday

Context: Pressed repeatedly on what kind of advising Donald Trump Jr. provides the company, the Kalshi CEO repeatedly issued non-answers. Kalshi critics have questioned whether Trump Jr. actually does any work for the startup. So-called “prediction markets” like Kalshi are regulated by the federal government.

Robinhood Passes 1 Million ‘Prediction’ Gamblers – X/Twitter

Context: According to Robinhood’s VP and GM of Futures, there are now over one million people gambling on so-called “prediction markets” on the platform. Under a partnership with Kalshi, Robinhood allows sports gambling via prediction markets. Robinhood could eventually go out on its own for prediction markets, which would deal a blow to Kalshi’s business, now valued at over $10 billion.

NBA Owners Face Questions Over Involvement in ‘Prediction Market’ – SBJ

Context: A startup’s entry into “prediction markets” gambling is raising serious concerns about the involvement of NBA owners in harmful sports gambling. The startup, Mojo Interactive Inc., was co-founded by Timberwolves and Lynx co-owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore.

Poll Shows Distrust in NBA After Betting Scandal – Sacred Heart University

Context: Four-in-five U.S. sports gamblers said reports of alleged NBA game corruption related to prop betting have impacted their trust in the integrity of NBA games, with 38.2% saying the investigations have impacted their trust “a lot.”

Gambling Claimed Popular Erie, PA Restaurant – GoErie.com

Context: Gambling can harm communities in many ways. A popular restaurant in Erie, Pennsylvania, reportedly closed because of its owner’s gambling.

Kalshi Offers ‘Mentions Market’ Parlay for MNF – X/Twitter

Context: According to Sportico, Kalshi, a so-called “prediction market,” has debuted parlays that allow users to gamble on what Monday Night Football announcers will say. It’s an egregious form of parlay gambling that could harm users with addiction.

PA Bans Gamblers For Leaving Kids Unattended – PGCB

Context: Three more people are banned from Pennsylvania casinos for leaving kids in vehicles while they gambled. The PGCB list of involuntarily banned people was up to 1,458 after the latest additions. Not everyone on the list engaged in this kind of behavior.

Non-Profit Founder With Addiction Gets Prison – Central Oregon Daily

Context: The founder of a non-profit that provided housing for women was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison and $400,000 in restitution. The problem gambling involved a bidding site called “DealDash.” Using the site, the defendant could bid and win items to put in the homes of her non-profit. In a statement for the sentencing, she wrote that DealDash became a devastating addiction.

Kalshi to Power Gambling on Collectibles – PR Newswire

Context: Kalshi partnered with StockX to launch “prediction” betting on the value of various collectibles, such as sneakers, labubus dolls, and Pokemon cards. The move could lead to gambling addiction and harm among a new and vulnerable segment of the U.S. population.

Online Gambling Promoted at White House – GamblingHarm.org

Context: At an official White House event, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave a plug for a so-called “prediction market” gambling company backed by Donald Trump Jr.

Gambling Site Promotes ‘Epstein Files’ House Vote – X/Twitter

Context: Kalshi, a so-called “prediction market” betting site, reportedly sent customers emails promoting its markets related to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The platform referred to a House vote on releasing the Epstein documents as a “happy” day for traders.

Record PA Betting Handle, Online Casino Revenue – PGCB

Context: Online casino gambling generated monthly revenue totaling $251 million during October 2025, compared to $189 million in October 2024, an increase of 32.8%. Within that number, revenue for both online slot machines and table games reached monthly highs. In October 2025, total sports wagering handle was $968.5 million, 12.86% higher than the October 2024 total of $858.1 million. The October 2025 wagering handle was an all-time high, eclipsing the $935.5 million wagered in November 2024.

Kalshi May Lose Court Fight With Nevada – Bloomberg

Context: US District Judge Andrew P. Gordon signaled he will side with Nevada gambling regulators trying to thwart prediction market startup Kalshi’s sports gambling offerings in the state. Nevada could be the first state to block prediction-market gambling from Kalshi. In April, Gordon granted Kalshi’s request to bar two Nevada gaming boards from pursuing civil or criminal enforcement against the firm for offering wagers that circumvent state laws.

NY Reconsiders Licensing Gambling Firms With PMs – NYS Gaming

Context: As New York considers legislation to regulate prediction markets, Gaming Commission Chair Brian O’Dwyer said, “Given the dangers of prediction markets to both the state of New York and its citizens, it is now appropriate that this commission examine whether the participation of any of our present licensees in so-called prediction markets makes them unfit to maintain their gaming license.”

Spain Unveils New Algorithm for Problem Gambling – DGOJ

Context: The Directorate General for Gambling Regulation (DGOJ), part of Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights and Consumer Affairs, announced a new algorithm that will detect risky behaviors in online gambling. The algorithm, which the Ministry has been developing for years, is based on real micro-data to identify addictive behaviors and detect patterns of problematic gambling among users.

New Study on Gambling & Suicide – Journal of Psychiatric Research

Context: A new meta-analysis of 14 high-quality observational studies reinforced what we already knew: that gambling disorders are strongly linked to a higher risk of suicide. The association can vary across populations and contexts.

Wisconsin Online Sports Betting Bill Fails in 2025 – WPR

Context: DraftKings and FanDuel, the giants in the online sports gambling industry, played a key role in derailing Wisconsin’s bill. Their lobbying group argued that they wouldn’t profit enough under the bill’s framework, which allegedly favored tribal casinos.

Maryland Warns Sportsbooks Over ‘Prediction’ Gambling – MD Gaming

Context: Maryland became the seventh state to officially warn licensees about involvement in prediction markets, joining Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, and Ohio.

Chess.com Partners With Gambling Site For Odds – Polymarket

Context: It’s one of the most eyebrow-raising deals in the online gambling space. Polymarket will power real-time odds for certain Chess.com events. Chess is a game that brings people together. Meanwhile, Polymarket facilitates betting on war and death, including whether Russia will bomb Ukraine.

MS Lottery Launches Online Gambling App – Lottery Daily

Context: The Mississippi Lottery Corporation has joined the wave of American state lotteries launching official apps. What lottery gamblers can do on their state’s app varies significantly. Mississippi was one of the last remaining holdouts. The lottery’s app is marketed as an “easier, faster, and more convenient” way to play the lottery.

Have a news tip or a recommendation for something we can include in a future edition of The Harmdown? Please contact brian@gamblingharm.org

Please reach out with any comments or concerns. Have a great weekend!