HARTFORD — The state Department of Consumer Protection Thursday, July 10, announced a settlement with online gambling operator DraftKings, following an investigation into alleged violations of Connecticut’s gaming laws related to misleading marketing and advertising.
DraftKings agreed to return more than $3 million to 7,000 Connecticut consumers who participated in certain bonus offers that promised a deposit match or deposit bonus between Oct. 19, 2021 and Jan. 4, 2023. DraftKings also agreed to provide annual training on Connecticut’s relevant laws to all Connecticut marketing and advertising personnel, provide enhanced promotion of its education hub and game tutorials for bonus promotions, and pay $50,000 for use in consumer complaint resolution programs, consumer education, consumer protection enforcement and litigation.
“We are pleased with the outcome of this investigation and that affected consumers will be made whole,” said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. “Thank you to our Gaming Division team, who work tirelessly on behalf of Connecticut consumers to ensure fairness and safety in our legal gaming marketplace.”
DCP Gaming Division Director Kris Gilman explained the importance and specifics of communicating gaming laws to operators’ employees.
“Gaming operators must clearly communicate the terms of any promotion to their customers, including requirements to wager a certain amount or other conditions to obtain a promised award,” Gilman said. “We are happy that DraftKings has agreed to assess its promotions, provide additional training to its employees regarding Connecticut’s laws and regulations, and return funds to consumers who misunderstood and in many cases were completely unaware of the terms of the promotions they participated in.”
Affected consumers will receive communication regarding their refund from DraftKings within 60 days.
The DCP also warned consumers about the possibility that scammers may try to impersonate DraftKings to steal their refunds or personal information. Consumers who are unsure about the legitimacy of a communication or if they should receive a refund can contact DCP’s Gaming Division at DCP.Gaming@ct.gov.
Information on services available in Connecticut for those who may have a gambling problem is also available at portal.ct.gov/problemgaming. You may also learn about self-exclusion at ct.gov/selfexclusion.
