According to Legal Sports Report, the campaign targets Rivers Des Plaines Casino, claiming the casino wants to exclude the operators from Illinois to reduce competition.
FanDuel has been the leading sportsbook in terms of revenue within the state of New Jersey to date, with DraftKings second in the running.
The bad-actor clause being debated in Illinois would restrict DraftKings and FanDuel from entering the state’s sports wagering market for up to three years.
This would serve as punishment for the duo allegedly offering daily fantasy sports in Illinois illegally in the past.
Rivers representative Paul Gaynor responded to the adverts in a statement to Legal Sports Report: “It’s not surprising FanDuel and DraftKings are spending $1 million to try and buy a duopoly after years of engaging in conduct the Attorney General concluded clearly constituted illegal gambling, without following regulations, paying taxes or paying licensing fees.
“Now they want to be rewarded for their improper behavior and put in front of the line ahead of gaming entities who complied with the law and regulations, paid taxes and put thousands of Illinois residents to work.”
One of the adverts can be found here: