Researchers to Study Prevalence and Risk on a National Scale

BOSTON, Nov. 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) today announced that the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) has awarded its three-year research grant for the Fund to Support Research on Sports Wagering (the Fund) to researchers at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. DraftKings’ financial contribution allowed the ICRG to proceed with a competitive request for applications from researchers around the world interested in pursuing groundbreaking research on problem gaming. With this funding, the researchers will be able to study problem gaming prevalence as well as risk specific to sports betting on a national scale.

“A key pillar of our commitment to responsible gaming at DraftKings is our support for advancing research in this area,” said Christine Thurmond, Director of Responsible Gaming, DraftKings. “We were honored to support the ICRG with launching the Fund earlier this year to provide researchers at the top of their field an opportunity to compete for funding to advance responsible gaming knowledge. I want to congratulate the ICRG and Bowling Green State University on this milestone.”

A first-of-its-kind fund in the United States, the ICRG created the Fund to focus on responsible gaming in sports betting, with the goal of developing peer-reviewed, scientifically based research that contributes meaningfully to the understanding and application of responsible gaming in the industry. Beginning this year, the ICRG accepted applications filed by researchers at U.S.-based or international public, private or non-profit organizations interested in exploring responsible gaming topics for a three-year period. After concluding a peer review, the ICRG Independent Scientific Advisory Board selected Bowling Green State University as the final award recipient.

“This research project seeks to study the rapidly changing face of sports betting in the United States, with a focus on understanding what factors might lead some people to develop problematic play, whereas other people are able to wager without problems,” said Principal Investigator Joshua Grubbs. “Our hope is that this work can better inform efforts to promote responsible play and prevent the potential harms that problem gaming can cause.”

The study aims to:

1. Establish the prevalence of sports betting behaviors in the adult population in the United States
2. Identify risk factors for problematic sports betting behaviors
3. Explore how technology influences sports betting
4. Establish the natural trajectories of sports betting behaviors over time

A leader in digital sports entertainment and gaming, DraftKings is committed to creating inclusive and responsible pathways for people to build, create, imagine, and innovate through the DraftKings S.E.R.V.E.S. corporate social responsibility program, standing for Service, Equity, Responsible Gaming, Vitality, Entrepreneurship, and Sports. DraftKings’ responsible gaming focus is to protect consumers through game-changing technology, staff training, resources for consumers, and through the support of evidence-based research, including with world-class organizations like the ICRG and the Harvard Medical School affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance. DraftKings, a platinum member of the National Council on Problem Gambling, tailors its products to provide customers with a robust set of responsible gaming tools they need to play responsibly, including limit setting, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion. The company has expanded responsible gaming education and marketing to a broad range of customer touchpoints including email, social media, its retail sportsbooks, and across in-stadium assets in collaboration with the American Gaming Association’s public service campaign Have A Game Plan.® Bet Responsibly™.

To learn more about DraftKings’ commitment to responsible gaming, please visit the company’s Responsible Gaming page. For more information on the ICRG’s research and education programs, go to www.icrg.org.

About DraftKings
DraftKings Inc. is a digital sports entertainment and gaming company created to fuel the competitive spirit of sports fans with products that range across daily fantasy, regulated gaming and digital media. Headquartered in Boston, and launched in 2012 by Jason Robins, Matt Kalish and Paul Liberman, DraftKings is the only U.S.-based vertically integrated sports betting operator. DraftKings is a multi-channel provider of sports betting and gaming technologies, powering sports and gaming entertainment for operators in 17 countries. DraftKings’ Sportsbook is live with mobile and/or retail betting operations in the United States pursuant to regulations in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. DraftKings’ daily fantasy sports product is available in 6 countries internationally with 15 distinct sports categories. DraftKings is both an official daily fantasy and sports betting partner of the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA TOUR and UFC as well as an official daily fantasy partner of NASCAR. Launched in August 2021, DraftKings Marketplace is a digital collectibles ecosystem designed for mainstream accessibility that offers curated NFT drops and supports secondary-market transactions. DraftKings also owns Vegas Sports Information Network, Inc. (VSiN), a multi-platform broadcast and content company.

About ICRG
Since 1996, the International Center for Responsible Gaming, formerly the National Center for Responsible Gaming, a nonprofit agency, has successfully established a rigorous and thriving field of study designed to further our mission of helping individuals and families affected by gambling disorder through first-class research and evidence-based education programs.

Forward Looking Statements
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