FanDuel has agreed to pay the Jacksonville Jaguars $5 million over stolen betting funds.
The popular sports betting app will write a cheque to the NFL franchise to compensate for the nearly $20 million that a former Jaguars employee stole from the team and deposited at the sportsbook.
The deal was finalised in early 2025 according to ESPN, more than a year after Amit Patel – a midlevel finance manager for the team – pleaded guilty to stealing $22 million through a virtual credit card system Jacksonville used for expenses.
FanDuel is one of the official betting partners of the NFL but the league did not actively participate in discussions. The operator was reportedly motivated to pay the Jaguars in the interest of being a good partner with the league.
All parties involved declined to comment on the matter. In February 2024, the Jaguars requested that FanDuel pay back some of the money Patel stole. At the time, the sportsbook believed they had got the money fairly and didn’t see it as their problem.
Patel was sentenced last March to six-and-a-half years for wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction. Later that year in July, the Jaguars sued Patel in Florida state court and asked for $66.6 million in damages.
In an interview with CNN, Patel said he illegally borrowed money by using the Jaguars company credit card to bet on games – hoping to win before repaying the stolen funds. He transferred approximately $20 million to FanDuel and $1 million to another online casino, DraftKings.
Patel sued FanDuel in federal court, asking for $250 million in compensatory and punitive damages by claiming the sportsbook exploited his gambliung addiction and ignored its responsible gaming and anti-money laundering protocols.
Patel argued FanDuel should have known he was a problem gambler and that he made over 1,000 deposits with the sportsbook, each in the amount of $25,000. He was diagnosed with a gambling disorder in March 2023, a month after he was fired by the team.
Federal authorities disputed Patel’s claims, saying he lived an extravagant lifestyle that included private jets, luxury hotels, multiple vehicles, purchasing cryptocurrency, a country club membership, spa treatments and luxury watches.
Joe Lyons is a betting industry writer for GamblingIndustryNews with years of experience on reputable gambling websites. Joe specialises in long form content in the world of sports betting and gambling. Joe is recognised as an expert in sports fields such as horse racing, soccer, NFL and NBA.
