thank you, Luke!

"That doesn't sound like an RG topic to me," Shatley reiterated.

Wait, I said. VIPs can bet far beyond standard limits as long as they're haphazardly losing huge amounts of money, but they'll get stripped of VIP status and aggressively limited should they manage their wagering more strategically. That doesn't undermine responsible gaming commitments?

Are VIP programs incentivizing irresponsible behavior while, at the same time, punishing people who demonstrate more disciplined betting approaches?

"I can't speak to that because that's not an RG issue," Shatley replied.

Even something as basic as betting a little less than usual when you're iffy about a particular game can be disqualifying.

I raised this with Jennifer Shatley, executive director of the Responsible Online Gaming Association, of which FanDuel, DraftKings, etc. are members.

The perks to keep those customers loyal (and losing a staggering amount of money) are unbelievable. But to qualify, a former VIP host at DraftKings told me betting *irresponsibly* is basically a requirement. "If your money management is good, you're probably not going to end up being a VIP."

thank you!

Thanks so much, Brian. On sale everywhere as of last week! If you get a chance to read, please let me know what you think.

thank you, David! (out last Tuesday, but all the same!)

thank you! please let me know what you think

That would be hugely lucrative for sportsbooks, no doubt. It's also, according to a state prosecutor I interviewed, a textbook misuse of customer data.

“All the [sportsbook] execs are smart,” this person said. “They know this is where it needs to go ... the data that we’re collecting will become part of a larger data set for them to allow this kind of deep personalization.”

The geolocation exec said using this data to glean information about a person's wealth -- i.e., are they in an expensive apartment building? -- has tremendous upside for customizing promotions, determining wagering limits, and deciding whether someone might qualify for white-glove "VIP" perks.

For my book EVERYBODY LOSES (link in bio), an executive at a geolocation company told me he thinks this is the future of U.S. sports betting.

To bet online, you must enable geolocation. That can be remarkably precise, down to the exact seat you're in at a ballgame.