On the anniversary of the tragedy that claimed almost 3,000 lives, the sports betting company DraftKings issued an apology on Monday for leveraging the 9/11 terror attacks to encourage wagering on baseball and football games.
On Monday, the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the downing of a passenger plane in a Pennsylvania field, the Boston-based company made a promotion for users based on 9/11 that required 3 New York-based teams — the Yankees, Mets, and Jets — to win their games.
DraftKings removed the ad with the slogan “Never Forget” after receiving a backlash on social media from those who were outraged by it.
The firm commented, “We sincerely apologize for the highlighted parlay that was shared temporarily in memory of 9/11. “We respect the importance of this day for our nation, particularly for the families of the people who were directly impacted,” the statement continues.
The 9/11 Justice organization, directed by Brett Eagleson, whose father Bruce was killed at the World Trade Center, assists families and first responders. The DraftKings offer, he said, was “tone-deaf.”
He told The Associated Press: “It is shameful to use the 9/11 national tragedy to promote a business.” “Instead of self-interest and shameless promotion, we need accountability, justice, and resolution.”
The business would not disclose the number of bets placed as a result of the promotion or whether those bets have been canceled or not.
One of the top businesses providing legal sports betting in the US is DraftKings. Since the US Supreme Court paved the path for it in 2018, this industry has expanded quickly. The majority of the nation now provides it.
Sports bookies make a lot of money off of bets like the ones DraftKings offers, which combine numerous games or results into a single wager. Parlays, or pre-selected groupings, are a crucial component of sports betting.