Poll: Does real-money fantasy sports betting have a European future?
Daily fantasy sports has exploded stateside but the vertical has yet to gain traction this side of the pond
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) is enjoying a period of rapid growth in North America at present, so much so that market analysis firm Eilers Research recently estimated the market could be worth more than $2.6bn a year by 2020.
The size of the sector has prompted some to invest heavily and earlier this month Walt Disney ploughed $250m into DFS market leader DraftKings while Amaya Gaming recently announced it too had designs in the space and plans to launch its own DFS product later this year.
Like other parts of Europe the UK has long been familiar with the notion of fantasy sports, first through newspaper offerings such as The Sun and The Daily Telegraph, and more recently through the official Premier League’s free-to-play website.
However, the popularity of a daily version of fantasy sports in America has yet gain traction on this side of the Atlantic. This is despite European’s thirst for sport and a history of what is now seen as traditional fantasy sports products.
UK fantasy sports currently revolves around season-long games and a smattering of weekly prizes whereas US players such as DraftKings and FanDuel have been able to monetise the game by providing short-term markets based on the success of the players’ selections.
And while spread betting firm Sporting Index currently offers performance markets on players in most sports, which bears some semblance to the DFS model, as yet no European firm has replicated DFS in its home market.
Some argue the popularity – and legality – of sports betting in Europe has meant there just isn’t the gap or sufficient thirst in the market for DFS, unlike in the US where sports betting is currently prohibited in all but four states.
But with PokerStars owner Amaya getting in on the act, could now be the time when it and other European firms take fantasy sports seriously?
With this in mind, eGaming Review‘s poll this week wants to know whether you believe DFS has a future in Europe. Have your say on the right-hand side of the page.