FanDuel CEO Amy Howe on leadership, sports betting, and seizing unexpected opportunities

Executive overview

Amy Howe leads FanDuel, the dominant US sports betting platform, with a $25B market cap. She came up through McKinsey, then Ticketmaster — where she managed the COVID shutdown — before joining FanDuel as president and quickly becoming CEO.

Sports betting is legal in only 25 states. Unlocking the rest, especially California, requires navigating tribal sovereignty, ballot politics, and an emerging prediction markets landscape. The core tension: building a commercially aggressive business while genuinely leading on responsible gaming.

Walking through unexpected doors — not planning for them — is what built her career.

From McKinsey to operator: what changes

• Consultants leave before consequences land; operators live with them.
• The shift forced a dose of pragmatism: a brilliant strategy that can't be implemented is worthless.
• The "obligation to dissent" — a McKinsey principle — travels well: hire people for a reason, then let them speak.
• Three most powerful words in any meeting: "I don't know."
• Org changes are as much art as science; use a third party when emotion runs high.
• Always restructure from a position of strength — waiting forces you to play defence.

Taking the FanDuel role

• COVID crisis at Ticketmaster — 54,000 events canceled overnight, no revenue, massive burn — built comfort with ambiguity.
• FanDuel's values (humble and hungry, win with integrity, say thank you) were genuinely lived, not wall decor.
• Joining a company mid-crisis meant listening before changing; she preserved the existing culture rather than overhauling it.
• Hired as president; became interim CEO within months when Matt King left for Fanatics.

The sports betting market

• The 2018 Supreme Court ruling (PASPA repeal) ended the federal ban and opened state-by-state legalisation.
• FanDuel's existing Daily Fantasy Sports user base gave it a migration advantage when real-money wagering launched.
• As of Super Bowl week 2026: 25 states legal, 50% of the US population covered.
• A functional duopoly (FanDuel and DraftKings) emerged from the land-grab phase; early customer acquisition costs were astronomical.
• Legal operators provide age verification, responsible gaming tools, and tax revenue — FanDuel has generated $6B+ in state taxes; another $1.6B/year is available if remaining states legalise.

California: the biggest unlocked market

• An estimated $10B illegal market operates in California today.
• The 2022 ballot initiative failed because it didn't have tribal support.
• Tribes' primary concern: online sports betting could be a gateway to iGaming, which could cannibalise their brick-and-mortar casinos.
• Post-2022 strategy: hired people from inside the tribes, went on an extended listening and apology tour, now working on tribal-aligned terms.
• Approach: let the tribes set the timeline; do it right rather than fast.

Prediction markets

• FanDuel's origins pre-date Daily Fantasy Sports — the original product was a prediction market exchange.
• Prediction markets now serve as a complementary product in states where sports betting isn't yet legal.
• Partner: Chicago Mercantile Exchange, chosen for philosophical and integrity alignment.
• Guardrail principle: won't offer any market that can be easily manipulated.
• CFTC will set the regulatory framework; FanDuel is engaging the new chair to bring lessons from regulated sports betting.

Responsible gaming and AI

• Flutter (FanDuel's parent) spends $100M+ per year on responsible gaming tools and awareness.
• ACE AI: an in-app betting companion that consolidates research, odds comparison, and parlay building — no need to leave the app.
• Real-time check-in tools use large language models to detect behavioural changes and prompt welfare checks before problems escalate.
• On the defensive side: AI makes odds comparison easier for customers but doesn't give them a mathematical edge.
• Long-term business sustainability depends on earning trust from regulators, leagues, teams, and the public — not just converting bettors.

Women's sports and product equity

• The Caitlin Clark effect was real: WNBA betting grew several hundred percent.
• Early gap: the WNBA product lagged the NBA product in depth and quality; closing that is a stated priority.
• FanDuel was an early WNBA sponsor and has used female ambassadors.
• NFL is now ~40% women consumers; women bettors remain a significant underserved segment.
• AI-driven personalisation and simplification are the planned unlock for broader female adoption.

Career advice and the "sliding doors" framework

• At 19–21, exposure and pattern recognition are what you lack most — pursue breadth first.
• Consulting (McKinsey) worked for Howe because it compressed exposure to many industries and problem types.
• Be willing to walk through doors that open unexpectedly; the biggest career moves often weren't planned.
• Build a network relentlessly: careers are long, relationships resurface, and human connection can't be displaced by AI.