Online sportsbook operators have committed at least $72 million to US political groups during the 2026 election cycle. DraftKings and FanDuel supplied most of the money as betting companies target state gambling laws, tax policy and prediction market rules.
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Georgia has received some of the largest spending because lawmakers continue to debate gambling legalization.
Win for America affiliates spent more than $12 million on state legislative races. American Future backed Democrats, while the American Conservative Fund supported Republicans. Both committees receive funding through Win for America, a super PAC created in late 2025.
Super PACs can accept unlimited corporate funding and independently support candidates. Federal rules ban direct coordination with political campaigns.
Public Citizen ranks online betting as the third largest corporate contributor in the current midterm cycle, behind cryptocurrency and technology. An earlier Public Citizen review found that Win for America had already received $43 million by the end of the first quarter.
“Win for America is ramping up to be another corporate money juggernaut,” Public Citizen Research Director Rick Claypool said.
DraftKings leads the disclosed operator contributions with $34 million, followed by FanDuel at $27 million. Bet365 used US subsidiary Hillside Shared Services US LLC for its donations. Separate filings show another $1 million from DraftKings and $2 million from FanDuel to other committees.
The spending comes as Kalshi, Polymarket and other prediction exchanges compete with state licensed sportsbooks.
Sports betting companies normally enter each state through local licensing and taxation. Prediction platforms argue that federal CFTC oversight lets them offer sports event contracts nationwide. Several state regulators classify those products as unlicensed sports wagering.
Direct lobbying has grown alongside election spending. FanDuel spent $1.1 million on federal lobbying in 2025, around seven times its 2024 total. DraftKings spent about $900,000, more than twice its earlier annual figure.
DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics and BetMGM also work through the Sports Betting Alliance on gambling legislation. BetMGM has not contributed to Win for America.