ProPublica published an investigation on September 26, 2026: reporter Jake Pearson spent 10 weeks deliberately behaving on DraftKings like a gambler with an addiction. After a large loss, the operator sent him not a warning but an invitation to its VIP program.
According to ProPublica, Pearson lost more than $10,000. His biggest loss came in a single night, and the next day, at 5:01 p.m., an email arrived inviting him to a three-week “VIP Showcase.” Earlier he had set his own limits: two hours a day in the app and no more than $100 in deposits over 24 hours. The app did show responsible gambling reminders, but, by his account, they did not stop the invitation.
In parallel, in a shorter test on FanDuel, Pearson saw “Reality Check” reminders and was not offered VIP status. The reporter's conclusion: responsible gambling prompts lose out to product design and promotions.
DraftKings' position was given to the journalist by director of responsible gaming Lori Calani, who said the system worked as intended. The company's representative did not say how many accounts had been closed due to signs of addiction.
This is a single journalistic experiment, not an audit or a regulator's decision. We found no official checks or claims against DraftKings related to the publication. Amounts in retellings differ (the final net loss and total deposit volume), so only the figure “more than $10,000” is given.
For the market, two implications stand out: VIP programs and personalized promotions for risky players are now on the agenda of American media, and operators will be asked how responsible gambling triggers fit with CRM mailings. Watch for the reaction of US regulators and any updates to promotion rules in the US.
