What Is the Average Settlement for a Gambling Addiction Lawsuit

– Updated on July 9, 2025

There is no average settlement for a gambling addiction lawsuit, as every case and the related losses are different. A gambling addiction lawyer can investigate your losses and help you understand what you may be able to recover.

What Can I Recover in a Gambling Addiction Lawsuit?

A gambling addiction lawsuit settlement or award is unique to you. It will reflect your unique losses. Some damages you could recover include:

• Medical expenses for any treatment you required
• Lost wages
• Emotional distress or other non-economic damages
• Legal costs

Once your attorney has reviewed your case, they can help you understand what damages you might qualify for.

Have There Been Any Settlements or Awards in Gambling Addiction Cases?

Yes. There have been hundreds of millions of dollars in gambling settlements, including:

• A $415-million class action settlement against DoubleDown Interactive LLC and International Game Technology PLC
• Two court-ordered settlement funds for DraftKings, one with 7,280,000 DK Dollars and one with $720,000
• A $12 million settlement against Zynga online casino

What Is the Difference Between a Class Action and a Mass Tort?

Class actions and mass torts are both used to streamline the lawsuit process and prevent the civil court system from being clogged with thousands of lawsuits related to the same injury or defendant. Both gather many cases under one plaintiff or a group of plaintiffs to share resources and evidence.

However, with a class action, every plaintiff receives the same amount of money, regardless of their losses. This means that someone who lost $500,000 gambling could receive the same amount as someone who lost $25,000. With a mass tort multidistrict litigation, each plaintiff has their own separate case and can receive unique compensation.

Do I Qualify for a Gambling Addiction Lawsuit?

You may qualify to recover a settlement for gambling addiction if:

• You used FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook, and/or BetMGM within the United States;
• You signed up for one or more of these gambling platforms between the ages of 18 and 25;
• You are currently between the ages of 19 and 35;
• You have at least $50,000 in debt from gambling, OR you have at least $25,000 in debt from gambling, and you have attempted suicide (If you lost a loved one to gambling-related suicide, we might also be able to help you); and
• You have not declared bankruptcy.

Who Can I Sue for My or My Loved One’s Gambling Addiction?

Our co-counsels are currently filing gambling addiction lawsuits against the following online gambling platforms:

• FanDuel
• BetMGM
• Caesars Sportsbook
• DraftKings

Proving the App Exploited Your Addiction

These cases are complex. They are not your standard injury case. This is partially because the laws are ever-changing with online gambling, which can further complicate the case. However, to sue a gambling app, your lawyer will likely need to prove that it knew your gambling was becoming a problem and, instead of helping you, it took advantage of you and your vulnerability. Ways your legal team can establish this include:

• Proving that you tried to shut down your account, but the app wouldn’t let you (A man recently sued DraftKings after he spent $350,000 gambling after asking the platform to close his account. He alleges that he asked the platform to close his account in 2020, but the app did not do so until 2024.)
• Demonstrating that the app knew you were gambling way beyond your means (A New Jersey man’s estranged wife filed a lawsuit against DraftKings, alleging that the app knew he made $175,000 a year but had bet 300% and 440% percent of his yearly salary in 2022 and 2023, respectively.)
• Proving that the platform knew you were having trouble controlling your gambling and that the platform enticed you to continue anyway (A Pennsylvania woman sued DraftKings, citing that the platform’s VIP tactics exploited her vulnerability and contributed to her spending $153,000 in just four months [and over $400,000 throughout 2023]. She alleges that the VIP host knew she was struggling with problematic gambling and, instead of helping her, plied her with thousands of dollars in credits and continued emailing her incentives to deposit more money into her account, even after telling her Host she was worried about how she’d pay her mortgage.)

What Do These Lawsuits Allege?

The gambling addiction lawsuits claim that the betting platforms engaged in specific tactics that exploited the addictive nature of their apps. These include:

• “Risk-free” bets that were anything but: Some of these lawsuits allege that the platforms advertised “risk-free” or “no sweat” bets that claim to give you your money back if your bet loses. However, in the fine print, the platform explains that you won’t get that cash refunded; instead, you will receive a credit for the app, which you must then bet and win back to withdraw.
• Misleading promotions: Most platforms offer a sign-up bonus, anywhere from $50 to $1,000. The language implies that you will receive that promotional bonus once you make your first bet. However, this bonus often comes with conditions. You may first need to deposit a certain amount of money (that can be higher than the bonus amount) or bet a certain amount of money in a given time before you get the bonus.
• Dark patterns within the app that kept people betting for prolonged periods: The fast pace of an online casino can cause a user to go into a “dark flow,” which will keep them betting again and again.
• Using the accountholder’s personal data against them: The platform has access to how much money you bet, how often you bet, what you bet on, what time you typically bet, and how often you win or lose. Some of these lawsuits allege that the platforms used this information to send tailored promotions. It also alleges the companies used this data to upgrade people to VIP status, where a VIP host would call them multiple times daily to push them to bet more.
• Marketing to (or even targeting) people on self-exclusion lists or people who tried to close their accounts: Some of the lawsuits also allege that the platforms marketed to (and in some cases, possibly targeted) people on “self-exclusion” lists or those who attempted to close their accounts.

See What Your Settlement Might Be Worth

Your attorney cannot determine what settlement you may qualify for without investigating your losses. However, our co-counsels near you will fight for every dollar you have lost. Call The Goldwater Law Firm today to get started with a free consultation. You don’t pay a thing to get started.

Goldwater Law Firm

The Goldwater Law Firm is on mission to help as many people as possible with the fierce, compassionate legal aid only The Gold Standard of Injury Law can offer. If you suffered serious side effects or were diagnosed with an illness because of a defective drug or product, or if you were injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, Attorney Bob Goldwater and the Goldwater Law Firm is ready to serve as your compassionate partner in the fight to seek the compensation and justice you deserve.

Share this post: