U.S. Sports Betting Apps: Tested, Scored, And Ranked – 1H26

In this 26pp special report we use additional data obtained during our 1H26 sports betting app testing round to provide rankings and analysis of bet builder performance from some of the leading UK sports betting apps.

The September edition of our U.S. Sports Betting Market Monitor is now live, with data current through July nationally and August where state-reported data are available. 3Q demand looks healthier than revenue. Through August, FanDuel and DraftKings carried handle growth of +16% and +14% y/y, respectively, but weaker hold left NGR at -4% and -14%. Early September commentary points to continued sportsbook handle strength, though customer-friendly NFL results in Weeks 1 and 3 suggest hold remained a headwind heading into earnings. Prediction markets are increasingly pressuring sportsbook acquisition economics even where direct cannibalization remains limited. Affiliate checks suggest a CPA of roughly ~$200 is now achievable for a PM customer versus ~$250 for an OSB customer, narrowing the incentive gap materially and pulling affiliate and paid-media attention toward PMs. The competitive backdrop is shifting as well. DraftKings effectively pulled level with FanDuel on 3Q26 GGR share through August, while FanDuel fell to a post-COVID low before stepping up bonusing in September. With underlying U.S. OSB growth slowing, a larger share of future operator growth will increasingly need to come from won share rather than market expansion. We also examine a potentially meaningful new adjacency: based on Playtech disclosures, we estimate Hard Rock’s NASCAR-based casino-style product in Florida could be run-rating at roughly $1-$2bn annually. Multiple operators are now exploring similar racing-based products, though recent history across DFS+, sweepstakes, and prediction markets suggests regulatory adjacencies rarely scale without opposition.

This monthly report provides a digest of legislative and regulatory developments for the emerging market for regulated sports betting in the United States. New features this month include updates to quick takes on the latest sports betting policy developments in federal gambling tax policy and sports betting in Nebraska; and an analysis of a legal challenge to New York's OSB framework.