Are Football Players Suing FanDuel And DraftKings?

Daily fantasy sports are on the defense as scores of consumers and lawmakers begin to question the legality of these for-pay websites. First, Las Vegas declared playing DFS gambling. Then, allegations of insider trading were levied against FanDuel and DraftKings. Now, the very athletes being betted on are questioning the legality of DFS.

Are Football Players Suing FanDuel And DraftKings?

In October, NFL wide receiver Pierre Garçon sued DraftKings and FanDuel on behalf of several NFL players over the fair use of these player’s names. These players feel that their names are being used without their permission in order to generate money for these two DFS websites, and they are not alone.

Players from Northern Illinois University are also suing FanDuel and DraftKings for using their names and likenesses. They are claiming $5 million in damages. Considering that college players can’t use their athletic performances to earn money while they play for their college teams, this case could have even more consequences down the road.

So far FanDuel hasn’t commented to media outlets, and DraftKings seems slow to respond anywhere other than court, but this new wrinkle in the legality of DFS might have far reaching effects nationwide. What if all the athletes used in DFS had to give permission for their name and image to be used by FanDuel or DraftKings? Would they be paid for the use of their images? Would college athletes be paid for their images, and would that interfere with their qualifications to play?

Keep following our blog to stay up-to-date on the growing legal hurricane surrounding daily fantasy sports, and visit our Facebook and Twitter to tell us what you think.