Major U.S. sportsbook operators, including DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, and Bet365, are increasing their political spending by backing a new political action committee (PAC). This new PAC is aimed at expanding legalized sports betting across the country, according to Axios. The efforts could help push states like Texas towards a path to regulated sports betting.
Leading operators DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, and Bet365, each of which are part of the Sports Betting Alliance, have collectively contributed about $48 million to a PAC known as Win for America.
The group is channeling funds into a network of state-level political action committees, already spending more than $20 million on primary races across multiple states.
Efforts have focused on key battlegrounds such as Texas and Georgia, where sports betting has yet to be legalized, as well as states including North Carolina, Illinois, Ohio, and Alabama.
The organization is expected to expand its activity into additional markets before November, with Pennsylvania and New York among those on its radar.
Recent filings are set to show that Win for America raised $41 million during the latest reporting period, with several million more added afterward, including a new contribution from Bet365.
The initiative aims to support candidates who favor balanced regulation and recognize the economic contributions of legal sports betting, including tax revenue and job creation.
The campaign comes as the industry navigates shifting regulatory pressures and new competition from other platforms.
The growing financial backing behind Win for America signals a more aggressive strategy to influence legalization efforts in key states like Texas.
While political spending alone cannot guarantee legislative change, it can shape the broader environment, particularly in a state where sports betting has repeatedly stalled despite strong industry interest.
By directing funding toward state-level races, operators such as DraftKings and FanDuel are effectively trying to build a more favorable legislature over time. Supporting candidates who are open to regulated betting could gradually shift the balance in Texas, where opposition has historically come from both political and ideological fronts.
With that said, Texas presents unique challenges. Legalizing sports betting would likely require either a constitutional amendment or broad bipartisan support, both of which are difficult to achieve.
Even with increased lobbying and campaign spending, deeply rooted resistance, particularly around gambling expansion, may limit how quickly progress can be made. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.
