A former employee of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who is currently imprisoned for embezzlement, has filed a lawsuit against the popular daily fantasy sports website FanDuel, alleging that the company exploited his gambling addiction and ultimately led to his downfall.
The employee, who worked in the team’s finance department for several years before being fired in 2017, claims that FanDuel’s aggressive advertising and promotional campaigns persuaded him to spend thousands of dollars on the platform in a desperate bid to win back his losses.
According to court documents, the employee, who has not been named in order to protect his privacy, became addicted to gambling in his early twenties and struggled to control his urges despite multiple attempts to seek help. He alleges that FanDuel’s constant bombardment of advertisements and special offers played a significant role in exacerbating his gambling addiction and pushing him to the brink of financial ruin.
In his lawsuit, the employee claims that FanDuel’s marketing tactics were specifically designed to target vulnerable individuals like himself, who were already struggling with gambling problems. He also alleges that the company failed to take adequate steps to prevent compulsive gambling behavior and did not provide adequate safeguards to protect users from harm.
The employee’s lawyer, John Doe, stated that his client’s life spiraled out of control as he sunk deeper and deeper into debt, eventually resorting to embezzlement in a desperate bid to fund his gambling habit. He argues that FanDuel bears a significant responsibility for his client’s actions and should be held accountable for exploiting his gambling addiction.
FanDuel has yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit, but the company has previously denied allegations that it targets vulnerable individuals or promotes compulsive gambling. In a statement released earlier this year, a spokesperson for FanDuel emphasized the company’s commitment to responsible gambling practices and stated that they take the issue of problem gambling very seriously.
The lawsuit is currently pending in a Jacksonville court, where the employee is seeking damages for emotional distress, financial losses, and punitive damages. It remains to be seen how the case will unfold, but it serves as a sobering reminder of the potential dangers of online gambling and the impact it can have on individuals’ lives.