If you use sportsbook promotions, the algorithm behind the offer matters as much as the flashy bonus attached to it. Maine gambling regulators are monitoring DraftKings after a New York Times report alleged that AI was used to identify players likely to spend more after receiving promotions; DraftKings disputes the report’s interpretation.

The allegation puts automated player targeting in the spotlight, but Maine has not announced a formal investigation or found wrongdoing. For a company whose platform strategy and expansion have made it a major name in sports betting, scrutiny over how promotions reach customers is a player-protection issue, not just a marketing footnote.

The Times report, citing former DraftKings employees, said the company used AI to identify customers more likely to keep wagering after receiving promotional offers. The primary report describes “elasticity” as the company’s term for players who might be encouraged to spend more and use the platform longer.

That account remains contested. DraftKings said the Times’ reporting relied on former employees and rejected the suggestion that its tools targeted people based on losses or signs of problem gambling. A West Virginia-based gambler has also filed a federal lawsuit in Massachusetts and is seeking class-action status, while Massachusetts regulators have opened an investigation into the company.

Maine’s Gambling Control Unit said it is monitoring AI use locally and nationally, but that the state has no laws or rules specifically addressing its use. The distinction matters: monitoring is not a formal finding that DraftKings broke a rule, and the primary report says Maine has not formally characterized the company’s conduct.

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