A network of Super PACs funded by DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics and Bet365 is emerging from hibernation just before Nov. 3’s nationwide midterm elections, which will determine control of both chambers of Congress as well as more than 6,000 state legislative seats.
The PACs spent heavily on advertising in state primaries during the first half of 2026, trying to advance gambling industry causes without disclosing to viewers they were backed by sports betting companies. It had been unclear whether the PACs, which together have received almost $100 million from betting firms over the past year, would also weigh in on cross-party general election matchups. They declined to do so during the summer on Meta and Google-owned platforms.
On Oct. 6, however, sportsbook-linked American Future PAC paid to begin running digital ads on those sites, according to transparency records. Since then, American Future PAC has spent at least $30,000 across 10 promos targeting state races in Alabama, Illinois, Georgia and Maryland.
It appears American Future may also be engaging with voters through TV and mailers about the general election. On Sept. 30, it paid The Pivot Group $54,920.84 for mailers and Targeted Platform Media LLC $194,007 for TV advertising. That same day, the PAC paid a firm called Sway $347,343 for digital advertising.
Because online sportsbooks and casinos are regulated by state governments, those lawmakers establish whether gambling is legal and set corporate tax rates (with the notable exception of prediction markets). That makes state elections a magnet for gambling interests.
To resonate with voters, American Future cosplays as a grassroots liberal group, adopting Democrat talking points on hot-button issues, such as immigration and gun control, even though the organization’s real purpose has nothing to do with those subjects. American Future doesn’t mention gambling whatsoever in its ads.
The PAC ran intraparty attack ads in the primaries, suggesting to the public that certain candidates were traitors to liberal causes. It has evolved its strategy for general elections, with its new crop of ads speaking positively about its handpicked Democrats while bashing select Republicans.
For example, one active general election ad on Facebook and Instagram warns, “Barry Beauchamp supported raising your property taxes.” Beauchamp, a Republican, is vying for reelection in the Maryland House of Delegates.
The sportsbook operators play both sides. Through an organization called Win for America PAC, they also fund a Republican equivalent to American Future called American Conservative Fund PAC.
Like American Future, American Conservative Fund and related state-specific entities such as American Conservative Fund Action Georgia poured millions of dollars into primary ads.
So far, neither American Conservative Fund nor its subsidiaries are running general election ads on Google or Meta platforms. It’s unclear whether the PACs will replicate American Future’s approach on those platforms in the coming weeks.
On Sept. 15, American Conservative Fund cut a $200,000 check for an unaffiliated PAC that supports Arizona Republicans called Moving Arizona Forward PAC.
A representative for Win for America—the PAC that receives direct funding from sportsbook operators and then disperses the money through the full network of pro-betting PACs, including American Future—did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In the latest quarter, DraftKings, Fanatics and Bet365 gave Win for America PAC $9.65 million (FanDuel did not participate in the latest funding round). Win for America then dispersed $5.9 million to American Conservative Fund and $2.7 million to American Future.