US sports betting giant DraftKings has closed its daily fantasy sports (DFS) business in the UK. As of Friday, October 4, it is no longer operating in the market.
Customers had little notice of the move, with an email sent the same day informing them that the offer was being withdrawn with immediate effect. Users commenting on social media expressed disappointment that the move would result in a lack of offering in the UK market. Yahoo pulled out back in 2018, while FanDuel failed to establish itself when it made a brief foray into the market in 2015. Some users have said that there will now be no options for top ball or DFS.
DraftKings entered the market in February 2016, bringing US-style DFS to the UK for the first time, featuring US sports leagues such as the NFL and BNA, as well as British football. It holds a betting licence from the Gambling Commission and is best known for its Premier League sponsorship.
DraftKings cited business streamlining as the reason for its decision to exit the market. It said customers would be able to continue to withdraw funds and in-game currencies such as kroner and Danish dollars would be converted to US dollars.
