TLDR A federal court in Washington, D.C. dismissed lawsuits filed against DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars Sportsbook A Florida-based company tried to use a 1710 British law called the Statute of Anne to demand millions from betting operators The law allowed third parties to sue gambling winners for triple the losses of individual bettors D.C. lawmakers closed the legal loophole by passing the Budget Support Act for 2026 Flutter Entertainment, which owns FanDuel, has seen its stock price drop more than 50% since the start of the year
A federal court in Washington, D.C. has thrown out a series of lawsuits that targeted some of the biggest names in American sports betting. The ruling removes what could have been a costly legal threat for the industry.
DC Gambling Recovery, a limited liability company based in Florida, filed the lawsuits against DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook, and FanDuel. The company sought to collect millions of dollars from the betting operators.
The entire case was built around an unusual legal strategy. DC Gambling Recovery based its arguments on the District of Columbia’s version of the Statute of Anne. This law dates back to 1710, when the British Parliament passed it during the reign of Queen Anne.
The original purpose of the law was to prevent wealthy aristocrats from losing their estates through card games. It declared that gambling contracts were void and unenforceable.
The statute also contained a provision that DC Gambling Recovery hoped to use to its advantage. Under the old rule, any user who lost more than $25 in a single gambling session had three months to sue the winner and demand their money back.
If that person did not take action within three months, any unrelated third party could step in and file a lawsuit instead. That third party