Gambling firm FanDuel investing $15M, hiring 900 in Atlanta

ATLANTA (AP) — Gambling company FanDuel says it will invest at least $15 million and hire more than 900 people, opening an Atlanta office focused on product development and technology operations.

The company, a subsidiary of British-based Flutter Entertainment PLC, made the announcement Tuesday.

FanDuel is the leading online sports betting and gambling company in the United States. Its platform is available in 10 states but not in Georgia. State lawmakers this year balked at efforts to legalize sports gambling in Georgia, despite a push from Atlanta's four professional sports teams, who said it would deepen fan engagement.

FanDuel also operates physical sports betting locations in some states with casinos. Sports gambling in some form, sometimes only inside casinos, is allowed in 11 states and the District of Columbia.

The company says it has more than 12 million customers in the United States with headquarters in New York and other offices in Los Angeles; Orlando, Florida; and Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland.

Flutter bought out most of the minority shareholders of FanDuel last year for $4.2 billion in cash and stock, after buying 58% of the company in 2018.

Economic development officials said they don't know yet where FanDuel will locate in Midtown Atlanta. Because those details remain up in the air, they also said they don't know how much FanDuel is likely to get in state, county and city incentives. The state has promised job-training assistance.

The company said it will look to Georgia's public and private universities to create courses to train future employees and actively recruit on local campuses. FanDuel also said it would work to provide resume-building workshops and mentorships for local residents seeking to become employees.

FanDuel Chief Product Officer Sarah Butterfass said the company was attracted to Atlanta by its need for a diverse talent pool.