Report Highlights Company’s ESG Commitment, Including Funding the Planting of 1 Million Trees, Veterans-Focused Responsible Gaming Research and High-Tech Skills Training
BOSTON, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG), the digital sports entertainment and gaming company created to fuel the competitive spirit of sports fans with products that range across daily fantasy, regulated gaming and digital media, today announced the release of its 2021 Sustainability Report, providing insights into DraftKings’ commitment to environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) initiatives. DraftKings identified the following key issues that impact its business and its shareholders:
- Responsible Gaming
- People & Community
- Inclusion, Equity & Belonging
- Employee Engagement, Wellness & Development
- Community Involvement and DraftKings S.E.R.V.E.S.
- Environmental Stewardship
- Cybersecurity & Data Privacy
- Enterprise Risk Management & Compliance
“2021 was a tremendous year for DraftKings as a business and the accomplishments we achieved were underpinned by our ongoing commitment to environmental, social and governance initiatives,” said Jason Robins, DraftKings’ co-founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board. “Our long-term success is sustained by our attentiveness to all our stakeholders, including our employees, customers, shareholders, and the communities we are a part of across the globe. We recognize that our ESG journey is a constant evolution and remain focused on making advances in these areas on an ongoing basis.”
Highlights of the 2021 Sustainability Report include:
- DraftKings’ work in environmental sustainability, which centered on funding the planting of 1 million trees, in coordination with the Arbor Day Foundation. In the U.S. alone, the tree plantings are estimated to contribute to more than 667,000 metric tons of carbon avoided and sequestered, 2,800 tons of air pollution avoided and removed, and 699 million gallons of runoff avoided.
- DraftKings continued to support initiatives that align with our DraftKings S.E.R.V.E.S. mission to create inclusive and responsible pathways for people to build, create, imagine, and innovate. DraftKings provided free, high-tech skills training to 200+ veterans and military spouses through its Tech for Heroes program and raised funds for natural disaster relief efforts and breast cancer research. In 2021, DraftKings donated nearly $4 million to local, national and international charities.
- DraftKings furthered its investment in evidence-based research to break new ground in responsible gaming, including the funding of the International Center for Responsible Gaming’s inaugural research on sports betting in the U.S., the Kindbridge Research Institute’s seminal research initiative, the 50x4 Vets Project, which studies military veterans impacted by problem gaming, and, most recently, a one-of-a-kind program to provide support to U.S. state problem gambling councils and affiliates of the National Council on Problem Gambling.
In order to compile the 2021 Sustainability Report, DraftKings sought insights from our shareholders, employees, and special advisors to the Board and CEO, and considered assessments from ESG rating agencies and guidance from ESG frameworks, such as the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board Standards and Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.
To read the full 2021 Sustainability Report, please visit DraftKings’ Investor Relations site.
About DraftKings
DraftKings Inc. is a digital sports entertainment and gaming company created to fuel the competitive spirit of sports fans with products that range across daily fantasy, regulated gaming and digital media. Headquartered in Boston, and launched in 2012 by Jason Robins, Matt Kalish and Paul Liberman, DraftKings is the only U.S.-based vertically integrated sports betting operator. DraftKings is a multi-channel provider of sports betting and gaming technologies, powering sports and gaming entertainment for operators in 17 countries. DraftKings’ Sportsbook is live with mobile and/or retail betting operations in the United States pursuant to regulations in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. DraftKings’ daily fantasy sports product is available in 6 countries internationally with 15 distinct sports categories. DraftKings is both an official daily fantasy and sports betting partner of the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA TOUR and UFC as well as an official daily fantasy partner of NASCAR. Launched in August 2021, DraftKings Marketplace is a digital collectibles ecosystem designed for mainstream accessibility that offers curated NFT drops and supports secondary-market transactions. DraftKings also owns Vegas Sports Information Network, Inc. (VSiN), a multi-platform broadcast and content company.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this press release are “forward looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside DraftKings’ control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see DraftKings’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. DraftKings does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
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