FanDuel And DraftKings Pull 30-Second Illinois Sports Betting Ad

• The 30-second ad aired for less than a day before being voluntarily pulled.
• BetIllinois made the ad, which was backed by both DFS operators.
• The removal of the ad signifies that discussions are now underway in earnest.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Yesterday, FanDuel and DraftKings released a 30-second TV spot decrying a proposal that would bar the companies from the Illinois sports betting market.

Today, the two daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators pulled the ad.

However, this is actually a positive development. Facing potential public backlash, it seems that the local government has taken the objection seriously.

Marc La Vorgna, spokesman for BetIllinois.org (the PAC that produced the ad), explained the move.

“At the governor’s request, the ad is being suspended for the time being while we engage in productive discussions to deliver smart sports betting legislation before the [current] session ends.”

Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker had no comment on the developments.

Gov. Pritzker nevertheless has tremendous skin in the game. He has earmarked over $200 million in sportsbook licensing revenue in his FY 2019-2020 budget. Any threat to this expected windfall is sure to be taken seriously.

What’s In The Ad?

To understand the debate raging in the Illinois statehouse, a bit of background is required.

In the legislative fight to legalize sports betting in Illinois, one major player is billionaire casino magnate Neil Bluhm. Bluhm owns and serves as chairman of the Rivers Casino in Des Plaines.

Bluhm supports legislation that would bar his two largest potential competitors from the marketplace.

The ban would expire three years after sports betting legalization in the state.

Bluhm’s rationale for including this “penalty box provision” is tenuous at best. He claims that FanDuel and DraftKings previously offered their services to Illinois players in bad faith.

In 2015, then-Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued an opinion that DFS constituted “illegal gambling”.

However, that opinion was informal and not legally binding. Further, Illinois never pursued cases against either operator for continuing to offer DFS services.

But because FanDuel and DraftKings didn’t cease operations in the state then, Bluhm argues that they should be excluded from sports betting now.

Per the Chicago Tribune, Bluhm attorney Paul Gaynor characterizes the DFS giants as lawbreakers.

“While we support the legalization of sports betting, what we don’t support are companies that brazenly operate outside the rules, which is why a regulatory waiting period would ensure the integrity of sports betting and that they fully and readily comply with the same strict regulations already being followed by existing gaming operators.”

The main narrative thrust of the now-pulled ad follows:

“Illinois is in debt, but there’s hope in a significant amount of tax revenue with online sports betting. In order to benefit from this, we must allow those who are experienced in the digital gaming arena to compete in our state. But there is a casino owned by a billionaire that wants to keep them out, which will compromise tax revenue for Illinois.”

While the ad didn’t refer to Bluhm by name, the idea that a wealthy individual is trying to buy legislative favors paints a powerful picture.

This is especially true in a state most famous for its high rates of urban poverty and violent crime.

Whether FanDuel and DraftKings now have the upper hand in the Illinois sports betting debate remains to be seen. We’ll know soon, though, because the current legislative session ends at the end of the month.

News tags: DraftKings | FanDuel | Illinois