I Deliberately Bet Like a Problem Gambler.I Deliberately Bet Like a Problem Gambler. DraftKings Made Me a VIP. by Jake Pearson, graphics by Chris Alcantara September 26, 2026, 5:00 am

I Deliberately Bet Like a Problem Gambler.I Deliberately Bet Like a Problem Gambler. DraftKings Made Me a VIP. by Jake Pearson, graphics by Chris Alcantara September 26, 2026, 5:00 am https://www.propublica.org/article/draftkings-sports-gambling-problem-vip-fanduel Reporting Highlights Recklessness Rewarded: I blew $1,800 in one night by chasing my losses with bigger bets, a classic sign of problem gambling. The next day, DraftKings invited me to audition for its VIP program. Casino Craze: Sportsbooks want to expand into online casinos, where you can lose a lot fast. I played 500 rounds of blackjack in a weekend — about half of my total bets over 10 weeks. Profit Over Protection: The responsible gaming prompts telling me to pump the brakes were no match for the product design and promotions pushing me to do more gambling.