DraftKings hits SuperLobby with cease and desist order
Daily fantasy sports operator says analytics site is using its logo without permission and has violated its terms of use
DraftKings has hit daily fantasy sports (DFS) analytics site SuperLobby with a cease and desist letter of what it claims is unauthorized use of its logo and violations of its terms of use. [private]
The letter asks SuperLobby to stop using the DraftKings trademark on its site, and to stop scraping data from DraftKings in order to compile its own stats.
SuperLobby provides lobby information for a number of DFS sites, including market leaders FanDuel and DraftKings, allowing users to compare contests across operators and platforms.
Scraping data is a relatively common practice in the DFS industry, despite generally being in breach of most sitesâ terms of use policy.
âSuperLobby has scraped data from DraftKingsâ contest lobby to display on its own website. But for scarping DraftKingsâ website for such data, SuperLobby would have no other means of doing such, the letter alleged.
âWe demand that you promptly provide us with written assurances that you, your company, and any affiliated or related companies, will cease and desist immediately from all use of the infringing activity and violating of the terms of use,â it added.
Exactly why DraftKings has decided to target SuperLobby remains unclear, particularly as it is fighting legal battles in states such as New York and Illinois that have ruled DFS meets the definition of illegal gambling.
Some have suggested it is because DraftKings is looking to clear up its act in the eyes of gaming regulators, while others believe it is because SuperLobby recently ranked FanDuel ahead of DraftKings.
âDraftKings clearly doesnât like the way SuperLobby sheds visibility on the daily fantasy sports sector. UK customers will not respond well to such behaviour, which should concern DraftKings following its recent UK launch,â SuperLobby CEO David Copeland told EGR NA.
âSuperLobby has referred the matter to its lawyers, but has yet to respond to DraftKings. In the meantime it is business as usual for us,â he added.