DraftKings Responds To Congress On VIP And Rewards

DraftKings has told members of Congress that it does not target customers based on signs of problem gambling and does not try to identify the customers most likely to lose so it can get them to bet more. 

The sportsbook set out its position in a six-page letter dated November 5, 2026, replying to an inquiry about its VIP and rewards programs.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Reps. Paul Tonko and Valerie Foushee sent the request on October 22, 2026. According to the senator's press release, similar letters went the same day to BetMGM, Caesars, Fanatics, Kalshi and Polymarket. For background on the scrutiny, see our report on a ProPublica test of DraftKings' VIP push.

How DraftKings Describes Its Rewards Program

In its letter, DraftKings said DraftKings Rewards, formerly Dynasty Rewards, has five tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond and Onyx. Every customer is enrolled automatically from day one, and the rebrand was completed in August 2026. Less than 1% of the customer base is in the Diamond and Onyx tiers, which can come with an assigned host.

Hosts can offer site credits, gifts or experiences, and promotions. DraftKings said hosts decide whom to contact and what to offer using its customer relationship system, and that the process is not automated. It also said it is aware of only one personalized video from a professional athlete, a Cameo from New York Knicks player Miles McBride, sent to a customer.

Responsible Gaming Controls Detailed

DraftKings said customers on self-exclusion, cool-off periods, responsible engagement suspensions or bans are not eligible for promotions. It said the ineligibility list is updated almost hourly and applied before any email, push notification or in-app message goes out, with new restrictions acted on within a 24-hour standard.

The company also described a cool-down window after a return. Customers coming back from a self-exclusion get no proactive promotional messages for 30 days. The same 30 days applies after a cool-off of more than 60 days, and 10 days applies after a shorter cool-off.

Hosts who spot possible signs of problem play must escalate to the company's Responsible Engagement Team. Each month, hosts are also assigned 10 of their customers at random for a check by phone, text or email, asking whether they are playing within their means, whether play affects their quality of life and whether they are playing for entertainment. Hosts who do not finish all checks in a quarter lose eligibility for incentive-based pay.

DraftKings said it is the only US operator with a Chief Responsible Gaming Officer reporting directly to the chief executive, backed by more than 50 full-time staff. It put employee responsible engagement training at more than 10,700 hours in 2025.

AI, Promotions & What It Won't Share

DraftKings said it does not use AI to find customers likely to lose or to target people showing signs of problem gambling. It says it uses data science and machine learning, not generative or agentic AI, to match promotions to preferences. 

By its estimate, 80% to 90% of sportsbook promotions are site-wide, with the rest going to cohorts or being offered by hosts. Its models are built so a customer whose usual maximum wager is $10 to $15 is not nudged into a far larger bet.

The company declined to give revenue by rewards tier or average player losses and gains, calling the figures competitively sensitive. It pointed instead to My Stat Sheet, which launched in March 2024 and lets players see deposits, wagers and net results. DraftKings said nearly half of players visited it within a year, for 13 million unique visits.

What Comes Next

The same October 22 letters went to five other companies, so more disclosures could follow. For bettors, the letter is a useful reference on which sportsbook tools exist to set limits, track results and step away.