Ep 326: DraftKings U-turn on winning bet surcharge and Flutter’s Illinois warning

Just as quickly as DraftKings announced a surcharge on winning bets in high-tax states, the operator rowed back on the policy following an outcry on social media and a series of earnings calls from competitors who spoke out against the charge.

On today’s episode of iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, Jessica Welman, Editor of SBC Americas, is joined by SBC’s Media manager, Charlie Horner, to discuss the change of heart by DraftKings and how operators in general handle high tax markets. 

In the second half of the show, the duo turn their attention to the recent comments made by Flutter’s CEO Peter Jackson during the operator's second-quarter earnings call. Jackson hit out at the recent tax hike in Illinois, describing the move as driving customers to offshore and unregulated operators. 

The duo question the effectiveness of the move, delve deeper into the meaning of his comments and also discuss how the tiered tax rate in Illinois will impact operators of all sizes in the state.

To read more about the topic, click on the following links:

- https://sbcamericas.com/2024/08/14/draftkings-axes-betting-surcharge/
- https://sbcamericas.com/2024/08/13/flutter-jackson-illinois-betting-tax/

Host: Jessica Welman
Guests: Charlie Horner
Producer: Anaya McDonald
Editor: James Ross

Remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.