Minnesota Now with Nina Moini

Reporter poses as problem gambler and finds sports betting sites reward addiction

Online Fantasy Sports Sites, FanDuel And DraftKings
The fantasy sports website DraftKings is shown in Chicago. DraftKings and its rival FanDuel have been under scrutiny after accusations surfaced of employees participating in the contests with insider information.
Scott Olson | Getty Images

Sports betting sites make it easy to wager on just about anything in a game. But what happens when someone shows signs of problem gambling? Do these platforms intervene, or encourage them to keep betting?

ProPublica reporter Jake Pearson spent 10 weeks testing the sports betting apps DraftKings and FanDuel. Even after losing thousands of dollars, he was invited to join DraftKings’ VIP program, which offered perks and promotions.

Pearson joined Minnesota Now to talk about what he found in his reporting.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

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