WORLD CUP 2026
activity, fraud detection is another burgeoning area. Illegal betting will be tackled by a multi- national coalition led by the FBI, Interpol and the UNODC. With these markets changing all the time, it remains to be seen how successful they will be. Daily Fantasy Sports Well over a decade ago, FanDuel and DraftKings burst into the US market with an unparalleled media blitz to meet consumer demand for daily fantasy sports (DFS). These early pioneers are still active in the DFS space but largely leveraged DFS to establish a loyal customer base for the eventual fully legalized sports betting market in the US post-PASPA. Today, less than 10 percent of DraftKings’ revenue is generated from DFS. 35 Despite the transition from DFS to regulated sports wagering, there is still an active DFS market – even attracting new operators such as PrizePicks and Underdog which have made a significant splash in recent years. DFS has also evolved over the years, and today’s “player picks” products can resemble player prop parlays. Most DFS operators, including PrizePicks, are available in California, Texas, Georgia, and Florida for interested users looking for an abbreviated “betting” experience. Also, in November 2025, PrizePicks announced a partnership with Kalshi to offer its own predictions market product, including sports- event contracts, which is also available in most major markets, including California, Texas, Georgia, and Florida. 36
Black / Offshore markets Bettors in the US continue to use bookies and offshore sportsbooks. In fact, unregulated markets were estimated to have had an estimated handle of US$84 million in 2025. In 2022, it was estimated that 35 percent of all sports wagers were made with unregulated sports books. While it appears that that number has shrunk to 25 percent in 2025 , the unregulated market clearly continues to be a challenge in the US, both from a taxation and consumer protection standpoint. With millions of visitors traveling to the US for an extended stay, the industry will be watching to see if they are drawn to the licensed and regulated sportsbooks or look for offshore options that may be more familiar. For California, Texas, and Georgia, will visitors choose prediction markets or DFS, or will they instead find an unregulated offshore wagering platform? Conclusion The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be an exciting time in North America. Regulated sportsbooks throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico should experience an increase in wagering during the month and a half event. It will be interesting to see if international visitors will adopt and download regulated North American sportsbook apps, utilize a prediction market, or keep their wagering dollars offshore. One thing is for certain: regulated sportsbooks have a fantastic opportunity to recruit rabid fanbases and earn their business through marketing efforts or offering enticing promotions.
DUSTIN MOLOY of counsel to Bose McKinney & Evans For information contact: dmoloy@boselaw.com +1 317-684-5359
SYDNEY MOODY Clerk, Bose McKinney & Evans
35 https://freedom24.com/ideas/details/17917 36 https://www.prizepicks.com/press-news/prizepicks-launches-prediction-markets-offering-with-kalshi
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