DraftKings CEO Urges Parents to Talk With Children About Gambling Risks

DraftKings chief executive Jason Robins says all parents should speak with their children about gambling addiction, and he says he has already done so with his own kids. He made the comments in an interview with CNBC's Contessa Brewer.

"Every parent, even if you don't have a business or don't live in a world where the kids grow up around it, I think it's something every parent should have conversations with their kids about," Robins said.

Robins said his children have grown up around the industry and have picked up some of its vocabulary. "They know what point spreads and money lines are," he said. He added that they often ask whether he knows where the money is on for DraftKings that day, so they know which side to root for, something he finds funny. He said he explained how the company works when they were young, but that they will have to wait until they are 21 to take part.

He described his approach as keeping lines of communication open on gambling and other topics, and compared it to the questions children might ask when they see a parent drinking wine. "The important thing is just to have a transparent relationship with your kids, where they feel like they can ask you anything," he said.

The remarks come as sports betting has become more widespread. A recent analysis of health records found that gambling disorder diagnoses rose about 61% among people in states with legalized sports betting. In states without it, cases fell roughly 30% from 2018 to 2026. The study found the highest rate of gambling disorder among men ages 18 to 29. Its authors noted that other factors could partly explain the trends, including greater awareness of gambling, expanded screening, and increased recognition and medical coding of the condition in recent years.

Data from the National Council on Problem Gambling shows that 8% of American adults, almost 20 million people, reported experiencing at least one indicator of problematic gambling behavior "many times" in the past year. Robins said that even a small share of users can add up to a significant number of people. "That's why we've invested so much," he said.

DraftKings offers what it calls "Responsible Gaming" tools, including account limits and self-exclusion, which lets customers block themselves from its platforms. Robins said the company also blocks some accounts based on behavior it observes. He argued that self-exclusion can reach further because some states share exclusion lists among regulated operators.

He said the Responsible Online Gaming Association, an industry group that includes major online gaming companies, is working on a nationwide self-exclusion list. Privacy laws and regulation complicate the effort, he said, but he believes the group is making progress toward a national list.

Robins also said he would not object to a requirement that customers set gambling limits, though he called it a difficult policy question. He would like limit-setting to become routine, comparing it to wearing a seat belt. "Everybody has a limit," he said. "You can set whatever number you want. At least then you're saying, okay this is what I'm comfortable with." He added that some customers may feel they do not need the tools, while others may benefit from setting boundaries.