FanDuel Lawsuit From Amit Patel Sent To Arbitration

A federal judge has ruled that Amit Patel must pursue his gambling-related lawsuit against FanDuel through arbitration, according to Sportico.

Good to Know

• Amit Patel sued FanDuel for $250 million in 2024.
• The former Jacksonville Jaguars executive is serving more than six years in federal prison.
• FanDuel argued that its user agreement sends legal disputes to arbitration.

A public trial no longer looks likely in the $250 million lawsuit Amit Patel filed against FanDuel. U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick granted a FanDuel request to send the dispute into private arbitration, Sportico reported.

The ruling puts the case before an arbitrator, not a jury. It also keeps many details out of public court filings, which matters in a case tied to VIP betting, daily fantasy sports contests, promotional credits, and the theft of more than $20 million from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

FanDuel Relied On Its User Agreement

FanDuel argued in a February 2025 filing that Patel accepted its terms and conditions while placing bets and entering DFS contests. Those terms require arbitration for legal disputes, the operator said.

Patel claimed FanDuel used an open-ended arbitration clause to cover issues outside the user agreement. Broderick sided with FanDuel and, according to Sportico, ruled that “there was no mismatch” between the arbitration agreement and the claims from Patel.

FanDuel also pushed back hard against the lawsuit earlier in the year. In its memorandum, the company said Patel was creating “unsupported conspiracy theories” from prison and argued that no valid basis existed to sue the operator.

Patel claims FanDuel helped feed a gambling addiction through gifts, VIP treatment, promotional credits, and event tickets. His lawsuit accuses the operator of negligence, conspiracy, deceptive and unfair trade practices, and intentional and emotional distress.

The complaint says FanDuel placed Patel in high-bettor VIP status. Patel also claims a host contacted him on days when he did not bet to ask why he had stopped. He alleges FanDuel gave him $1.1 million in credits and tickets to major sporting events, while his gambling addiction was later diagnosed in 2023.

Patel worked in a financial role for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2018 to 2023. Court documents say he stole $22 million through the team virtual credit card program. He spent millions entering DFS contests on FanDuel and DraftKings, and also used stolen funds for cryptocurrency, sports betting accounts, cars, a condominium, jewelry, a country club membership, sports tickets, and trips.

Federal prosecutors charged Patel with wire fraud and illegal money transactions in December 2023. He pleaded guilty that year. In March 2024, he received a prison sentence of six years and six months.