Daily Fantasy Sports Outlook: Prospects For Growth Are Dim, New Report Says
Dustin Gouker, Feb 16, 2018
A new report on the outlook of the daily fantasy sports industry sees limited opportunity for growth, with both handle and revenue likely to stay flat over the next several years, barring a major change.
The lowdown on the DFS industry
,
The report from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (available for purchase here) takes stock of where the DFS industry — predominately DraftKings and FanDuel — stands and is headed in the near future.
The picture wasn’t rosy. The analysis presents a “base case” of about $3.3 billion in handle (or entry fees) in 2018. Revenue would likely clock in around 10 percent of that figure, or roughly $330 million.
And Eilers sees that number likely staying the same over the next few years, although the report does present a “bull case” where growth can still occur:
Right now, DraftKings still holds a sizable lead over FanDuel in the DFS space, both in terms of handle and revenue. Both sites have been attempting to innovate in the last year in the hopes of sparking growth.
Change could be coming in 2018
Those projections, Eilers notes, do not account for potential pivotal moments for the DFS industry, such as a FanDuel sale or the legalization of sports betting in states around the US.
Both companies are hoping they will be able to benefit from the latter. The US Supreme Court case about New Jersey sports betting could strike down the federal ban on single-game wagering.
DraftKings has already publicly talked about its desire to move into the sports betting space. It’s all but certain FanDuel is likely looking for ways to get involved as well, with the right verdict from the Supreme Court.
Industry sources also tell Legal Sports Report that FanDuel has actively been trying to raise new funding. It has not completed a public round since 2015, although it has had infusions of cash via convertible notes. It’s also likely to seriously consider a sale this year.
Dustin Gouker, Feb 16, 2018
A new report on the outlook of the daily fantasy sports industry sees limited opportunity for growth, with both handle and revenue likely to stay flat over the next several years, barring a major change.
The lowdown on the DFS industry
,
The report from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (available for purchase here) takes stock of where the DFS industry — predominately DraftKings and FanDuel — stands and is headed in the near future.
The picture wasn’t rosy. The analysis presents a “base case” of about $3.3 billion in handle (or entry fees) in 2018. Revenue would likely clock in around 10 percent of that figure, or roughly $330 million.
And Eilers sees that number likely staying the same over the next few years, although the report does present a “bull case” where growth can still occur:
Right now, DraftKings still holds a sizable lead over FanDuel in the DFS space, both in terms of handle and revenue. Both sites have been attempting to innovate in the last year in the hopes of sparking growth.
Change could be coming in 2018
Those projections, Eilers notes, do not account for potential pivotal moments for the DFS industry, such as a FanDuel sale or the legalization of sports betting in states around the US.
Both companies are hoping they will be able to benefit from the latter. The US Supreme Court case about New Jersey sports betting could strike down the federal ban on single-game wagering.
DraftKings has already publicly talked about its desire to move into the sports betting space. It’s all but certain FanDuel is likely looking for ways to get involved as well, with the right verdict from the Supreme Court.
Industry sources also tell Legal Sports Report that FanDuel has actively been trying to raise new funding. It has not completed a public round since 2015, although it has had infusions of cash via convertible notes. It’s also likely to seriously consider a sale this year.
