FanDuel Brings On Radio Host Craig Carton to Serve as Responsible Gaming Ambassador

Posted on: September 23, 2021, 08:29h. 

Last updated on: September 24, 2021, 10:48h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

FanDuel Group announced Thursday that New York-based sports radio host Craig Carton will be the company’s first responsible gaming ambassador. It’s a position that he’ll start in immediately, according to a news release.

Craig Carton FanDuel
WFAN sports talk radio personality Craig Carton will serve as FanDuel’s responsible gaming ambassador. He will work with the company in various ways to ensure players understand the resources they have available to help them wager responsibly. (Image: WFAN/Twitter)

It’s also not going to be a figurehead role. While he will do speaking gigs focused on promoting responsible gaming behaviors, Carton will be called on to work with President and Interim CEO Amy Howe to help craft company policies around responsible gaming. In addition, he work with FanDuel developers to hone artificial intelligence capabilities that will spot problem gaming tendencies in a quicker, more accurate fashion.

Carton was a longtime fixture on WFAN’s drive-time morning show, working alongside former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason. However, in 2017, federal authorities arrested him on fraud charges. That’s after he spent $5.6 million he received from investors to back a ticket reselling business. Some of that money went toward his gambling habit.

He was sentenced to 42 months in a federal prison in 2019. However, he was permitted to serve his term last year under home incarceration. Last November, he returned to WFAN as a show host, including a weekly show dedicated to addressing gaming issues.

More than ever, I want to use my experience and platform to shine a meaningful spotlight on the issue of problem gambling,” Carton said. “It was important to me that I find a real partnership with a company that shared my passion for this issue. It became clear FanDuel shared the same goals and was comfortable working transparently with me for the sole purpose of protecting people.”

He was released from custody in June, according to the US Bureau of Prisons website.

FanDuel, Carton to Focus on Young Bettors, New Market

FanDuel said Carton’s work will focus on three specific areas. Those are customer advocacy, prevention, and content creation. One way he’ll do that is to speak at FanDuel events about responsible gaming. Those engagements will focus on two audiences – bettors in new FanDuel states and bettors under 25.

Carton will also be featured prominently on FanDuel’s responsible gaming website. He’ll also help with messaging that encourages greater use of tools to limit time and money spent on the mobile gaming application.

He’ll also help create ad campaigns promoting responsible play and share content on his WFAN gaming show, Hello, My Name is Craig.

“Everyone at FanDuel understands the importance of protecting our customers who are also our family, friends, neighbors, and community members,” said FanDuel CMO Mike Raffensperger. “Craig’s powerful personal story will help fuel our mission of making sure no bet placed results in hurting a loved one.”

About Responsible Gaming Education Week

This week is Responsible Gaming Education Week. Through Sept. 25, the American Gaming Association and its members will demonstrate the solutions they offer to their customers to help them play responsibly. The week also provides gaming companies with chances to provide training for employees to help them better recognize problem gaming behaviors.

If you feel that you may have a gaming problem, the National Council on Problem Gambling offers a toll-free helpline that’s available on a 24-7 basis. That number is 1-800-522-4700.