Many people ask whether FanDuel and DraftKings ever became a single company. The short, evidence-based answer is no. A proposed transaction in 2017 drew an explicit challenge from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the firms abandoned the deal that July. This article walks through the timeline, the regulators reason for objection, what happened to each company afterward and how you can verify claims using primary sources.

The 2017 proposed merger was legally challenged by the FTC and abandoned the same year.

FanDuel later became part of FanDuel Group under Flutter, while DraftKings remained an independent public company.

Primary sources like FTC statements and SEC filings confirm that no merger occurred through 2026.

Short answer: Did fanduel draftkings merge?

No. The proposed merger between FanDuel and DraftKings was not completed; companies abandoned the 2017 deal after regulatory scrutiny and official challenges, so the two brands remain separate.

This short answer is supported by the public record from regulators and contemporaneous reporting that documented the challenge and the subsequent abandonment.

Quick primary-source checks for merger verification

FTC press releases
SEC EDGAR filings
company press releases

Start with these primary sources when you verify claims

The rest of this article lays out the timeline, the FTCs reasoning, what happened after 2017, and how readers can verify merger claims themselves using primary sources and reputable reporting; see our blog for related posts.

Timeline: the proposed FanDuel DraftKings deal and what happened in 2017

The merger proposal and regulatory action played out in mid-2017, when the companies announced plans that quickly drew scrutiny from antitrust authorities; the U.S. Federal Trade Commission publicly described concerns about the transaction in June 2017 FTC challenge announcement.

After the FTC raised those concerns, discussions and legal friction continued for several weeks, and by July 2017 both companies abandoned the proposed deal rather than proceed through a contested regulatory process.

Contemporaneous business reporting summarized the sequence and the firms decision to call off the merger, noting that the companies opted to withdraw the proposal in the face of the regulators action and likely litigation risk.

The FTC argued that combining the two largest daily fantasy sports operators would produce an overwhelmingly concentrated market position, a central point in its June 2017 statement on the challenge FTC challenge announcement.

In plain terms, regulators evaluate potential mergers by considering whether a proposed combination would reduce meaningful competition, raise prices, degrade service or otherwise harm consumers. When two leading brands would control a large share of a niche market, regulators often see a significant risk of reduced choice and diminished incentives to compete on features, pricing, and promotions.

Stay informed on major regulatory stories

If you follow regulatory developments in gaming and technology, consider signing up for a short email that highlights major antitrust actions and how they affect consumer choice; updates are optional and focused on primary-source developments.

Get regulatory updates

The FTC viewed the daily fantasy sports sector as a defined competitive market, and its statements emphasized that high concentration in that market could materially affect how consumers experience product options and promotional behavior.

How and when the deal was abandoned

The companies formally abandoned the proposed merger in July 2017 after the FTC filed a complaint and signaled it would seek to block the transaction, and the FTCs public announcement and the companies subsequent statements reflect that the deal was not completed FTC announcement on abandonment.

News organizations that covered the story at the time reported the rapid sequence: a mid-June regulatory action followed by the firms decision in July to withdraw the proposed combination rather than face protracted litigation and uncertainty. News organizations documented the timeline in contemporaneous reporting.

Because the transaction was abandoned, no ownership transfer or corporate integration between FanDuel and DraftKings occurred as a result of that proposal, and both brands continued to operate independently after the July 2017 announcement.

Where FanDuel went next: FanDuel Group under Flutter and the NYSE listing

After the abandoned deal, FanDuel pursued a different corporate path. Its U.S. operations became part of a media and gaming group that later organized FanDuel Group under the parent company now known as Flutter Entertainment, and that corporate structure is documented in Flutters reporting Flutter Entertainment annual report 2024.

Flutter and FanDuel have continued to highlight FanDuels U.S. presence as part of broader corporate communications, and Flutter underscored that positioning when its shares began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in 2024.

It is important to distinguish this ownership and corporate path from any merger with DraftKings: the FanDuel Group structure reflects FanDuels integration into a larger corporate family rather than a combination with DraftKings.

Where DraftKings stands: independent, publicly traded, SEC filings

DraftKings has continued to operate as an independent, publicly traded U.S. company, and its annual reports and SEC filings document that status; investors and researchers can see the companys formal disclosures in its 2024 Form 10-K filing DraftKings 2024 Form 10-K.

Funded Plays Challenges

Get regulatory updates

Company filings like a Form 10-K are primary-source evidence of corporate status, because they are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and reflect the firms formal financial reporting and governance disclosures.

For readers wanting to confirm a firm is independent or part of a corporate group, searching the SECs EDGAR database for the companys recent filings is a practical starting point; see our guide for how we approach primary-source checks.

What the blocked merger meant for competition and consumers

One direct effect of the blocked transaction was to preserve two major competitors in daily fantasy sports and related online sports products, a consequence regulators highlighted when they explained their concerns about concentration and consumer choice FTC announcement on abandonment.

Did FanDuel merge with DraftKings?

No. A proposed 2017 merger was challenged by the FTC and abandoned in July 2017, and both companies have remained separate through 2026.

Preserving competition between two large brands means consumers continued to see choices across product features, promotional offers and pricing, rather than facing a consolidated operator that might reduce incentives to innovate or offer competitive promotions.

For players and users, the practical result through 2026 was ongoing rivalry across platforms, which industry reporting and company disclosures reflect in coverage of product updates and corporate strategy.

How to verify merger news and official sources

When a merger claim appears, check three primary sources: the FTCs press releases and complaints for antitrust actions, the SECs EDGAR system for company filings, and the companies own press releases for corporate announcements; for example, regulatory statements and public filings are central to confirming whether a proposed deal moved forward FTC challenge announcement. State attorney general releases can also be relevant, for example when states join federal actions D.C. release.

Practical steps: search the FTCs site for any formal challenge, look for a companys Form 8-K or Form 10-K on EDGAR, and consult major business outlets for contemporaneous reporting that summarizes the public records.

Those steps let readers confirm whether a transaction was announced, legally challenged, abandoned or completed, using primary documents rather than social posts or secondhand summaries.

Common misconceptions when people ask 'Did FanDuel merge with DraftKings?'

A frequent confusion is equating corporate ownership changes with a merger between two specific brands; for example, FanDuels later integration into a larger corporate group has sometimes been misread as a merger with DraftKings, but Flutters reporting documents FanDuels corporate alignment rather than any combined ownership with DraftKings Flutter Entertainment annual report 2024.

Another common mistake is relying on dated summaries or social posts that omit the FTCs role and the companies decision to abandon the deal in 2017; primary documents show the timeline and the regulatory basis for the outcome.

When in doubt, return to the primary records rather than relying on single social posts or unsourced claims that can conflate separate corporate events.

If a similar merger were proposed today: what regulators would likely review

Regulators typically examine market share, the relevant product market definition, barriers to entry, and the potential for consumer harm, and those criteria were central to the FTCs analysis in the 2017 challenge FTC challenge announcement.

For instance, if two leading firms in a defined market together account for most activity and revenue, regulators may view that concentration as a red flag because it lowers incentives for firms to compete on price, quality, and innovation.

Public comments, economic analysis and market data feed into such reviews, so transparency and documented evidence are important parts of any modern antitrust evaluation.

Hypothetical scenarios: how a FanDuel-DraftKings merger could change the landscape

As a purely hypothetical exercise, a combination of two dominant platforms could reduce the number of independent competitors, which might affect promotional intensity, product variety and the pace of new feature rollouts; these effects are why regulators often focus on preserving competition when a market looks highly concentrated FTC announcement on abandonment.

Regulatory responses to such hypotheticals could include second requests for documents, public investigations, or requirements to divest certain assets if the transaction were to proceed and regulators identified specific harms.

These scenarios are conditional and not predictions, offered only to illustrate why the 2017 review centered on market concentration and consumer choice rather than on product-level preferences alone.

How the post-2017 competition shaped DFS and U.S. sports betting through 2026

After 2017, the separate corporate paths of FanDuel and DraftKings are reflected in public filings and reporting: FanDuels role within a larger entertainment group is documented in corporate reports, and DraftKings continued independent public reporting through its SEC filings, both of which show distinct strategies and operations Coverage of Flutters NYSE listing.

That post-2017 competitive environment has correlated with continued product evolution, promotional activity and investment in platform features by both firms, which market observers and company disclosures recorded through 2026.

For users and market watchers, the takeaway is that separate corporate ownership translated into ongoing head-to-head competition in product design and customer acquisition rather than a single combined operator.

Conclusion: the lasting record and what to remember

The definitive public record is clear: FanDuel and DraftKings did not merge. The 2017 proposal was challenged by the FTC and abandoned in July 2017, and subsequent corporate developments show FanDuel operating within a Flutter group while DraftKings remained an independent public company through 2026 FTC announcement on abandonment.

To verify this yourself, consult the FTCs press releases and complaints for antitrust actions and the SECs EDGAR system for company filings; those primary sources preserve the official sequence and confirm that no merger between the two brands took place. Visit Funded Plays for more coverage.

Minimalist 2D vector of two modern headquarters facades side by side on a dark Funded Plays background with contrasting accent panels indicating separate corporate identities fanduel draftkings

Did FanDuel and DraftKings ever complete a merger?

No. A proposed merger in 2017 was challenged by the FTC and the companies abandoned the deal in July 2017.

How can I confirm whether a merger occurred?

Check FTC press releases for antitrust actions and SEC EDGAR filings or company press releases for official corporate disclosures.

Did FanDuel become part of DraftKings through another deal later?

No. FanDuel became part of a corporate group under Flutter Entertainment, while DraftKings remained an independent public company.

If you want to check the official record, start with the FTCs public statements and the SECs filings for each company. Those documents provide the clearest evidence of what was announced, challenged and ultimately abandoned.