Reynaldo Rivera’s gambling-addiction lawsuit against DraftKings and FanDuel has been removed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, after first being filed in Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas in July. Rivera alleges that targeted promotions, personalised incentives and VIP account representatives kept him wagering through both companies’ apps despite an escalating addiction.
The defendants accepted service on Aug. 19 and removed the case from Philadelphia County, according to their federal removal notice. They said federal jurisdiction was available because the parties are citizens of different states and the amount in dispute exceeds the $75,000 threshold for diversity cases.
Rivera alleges he began using the apps in Philadelphia in 2020, initially playing casino-style games. He says he ultimately wagered more than $1.6 million through DraftKings and more than $841,000 through FanDuel, while recording alleged net losses of roughly $97,000 and $40,000 respectively by April.
The complaint says the apps worsened an addiction that became unmanageable. Rivera alleges he experienced anxiety, depression, irritability, harm to his relationships and financial losses. He also says he tried to place himself on self-exclusion lists but returned to the apps because he could not cope with the companies’ interactions and outreach.
DraftKings Inc., Crown PA Gaming, Flutter Entertainment and FanDuel entities are among the named defendants. Rivera seeks to recover gaming losses allegedly incurred on the two platforms, alongside damages under claims including defective and negligent design, failure to warn, negligence, intentional misrepresentation, unjust enrichment and Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
The case follows a separate Pennsylvania VIP gambling suit involving DraftKings and FanDuel that we reported in July. VIP programmes have also drawn scrutiny from three congressional Democrats, who argued that hosts, push notifications and tailored promotions can exploit vulnerable bettors.
FanDuel has defended its practices in the separate congressional dispute. The company said VIP status brings “more oversight, not fewer safeguards,” and said managers discuss spending tools, limits, timeouts and self-exclusion. It also pointed to Flutter Entertainment’s $158 million responsible-gaming spending in 2025.
