FanDuel CEO Amy Howe emphasized the protective role of legal sports betting platforms in safeguarding major sporting events like the Super Bowl from match-fixing and suspicious gambling activity.
Real-Time Detection Capabilities
Speaking to CNN Sports on Friday, Howe explained that licensed operators like FanDuel maintain official partnerships with professional sports leagues to identify and prevent problematic betting patterns. She cited the recent NBA betting scandal involving player Terry Rozier as evidence of the system’s effectiveness.
In the Rozier case, federal prosecutors accused the player of conspiring to fix prop bets related to his playing time and statistical performance. Rozier has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“We identified nefarious behavior on the platform five hours before the game happened, and we suspended those and shut them down,” Howe told CNN Sports’ Andy Scholes. “It’s why we have official partnerships with the NFL in the league, so that we can work together across the ecosystem to manage that.”
Black Market Concerns
Howe highlighted the contrast between regulated platforms and illegal gambling operations, noting that approximately $675 billion in betting activity occurs through unlicensed channels where oversight is minimal or nonexistent.
“We still have 50% of the US, including California, that’s not legal, and that’s an important part of why we want to legalize – to bring that behavior into the light of day,” she said.
Market Growth and Super Bowl Betting
Currently, 39 states and Washington, DC, have legalized sports betting. The market has grown substantially, with Americans wagering nearly $150 billion on sports last year, representing a 23.6% increase from the previous year.
New York state alone reported over $2 billion in gross gambling revenue and over $1 billion in related tax revenue for the fiscal year ending March 2025.
The Super Bowl remains one of the most heavily bet events on the annual calendar, with wagers placed on everything from game outcomes to prop bets on the national anthem length, coin toss results, and halftime show performances. California, which is hosting this year’s game, has not legalized sports betting.
Howe noted that FanDuel is currently seeing significant action on a Seahawks victory and expectations for a high-scoring game, though she admitted her personal preference would have been to see the Buffalo Bills competing in the championship.
Source: CNN Sports
