The Fantasy Sports Gamble

An increasingly popular diversion, the controversial fantasy sports betting world—dominated by DraftKings and FanDuel—continues to attract and reel in players, who wager on fantasy teams comprised of real players. Ironically, fantasy sports was energized by legislation in Congress that sought to discourage Internet gambling, but exempted fantasy sports, which supporters claim is a game of skill conducted for its entertainment value, and therefore is not subject to government regulation. This PBS-aired Frontline documentary, hosted by New York Times reporter Walt Bogdanich and directed by Frank Koughan, notes that fantasy sports is unthinkable without the Internet, adding that while the pastime was once seasonal, today's competition involves daily events. Critics say that it's an underground world of unrestricted gambling with no truth in advertising or age verification of players. Plagued by corrupt insider dealing, with huge sums of money being won and lost, it's a form of "crack cocaine for gamblers." Fantasy sports targets an audience of risk-taking males under 30, with claims of being easy to win, although evidence shows that 89 percent of players lose. Some professional sports leagues support and profit from the activity, and much of the data is stored in shadowy offshore sites, where the idea of tracking responsible parties is likened to chasing a ghost (many businesses declined to be interviewed). The film interviews some big winners, who use their skills in poker to outwit the small fish, and also talks to big losers, who say they were seduced by fantasy sports' slick, misleading, and ever-present advertising. Although the report could have provided more information on how fantasy sports actually works, it effectively draws attention to a problematic practice. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)