TLDR
- Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin says sportsbook operators could spend $7 billion on marketing in 2027.
- Fanatics alone could spend up to $1 billion on betting and gaming ads next year.
- That would be nearly triple the $350 million the company is spending in 2026.
- Rubin named DraftKings, FanDuel and two top prediction market operators as well-funded rivals.
- He raised the possibility of consolidation among five major players but said he is “not sure” how far it could go.
Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin says companies in the sports betting industry could spend $7 billion on marketing in 2027. He shared the estimate in comments reported by CNBC.
Rubin said the figure covers the entire sports betting marketing space. He described that space as being as competitive as it has ever been.
The estimate comes as prediction markets add to the competition for customers. These platforms let users trade on the outcome of events, including sports games.
Fanatics Plans to Nearly Triple Its Betting Ad Budget
Rubin also gave figures for his own company. He said Fanatics could spend as much as $1 billion on betting and gaming ads in 2027.
That would be nearly triple what the company is spending this year. Rubin estimated Fanatics’ 2026 betting ad spend at $350 million.
Fanatics is best known for its sports apparel and collectibles businesses. Rubin said those units are expected to bring in more than $12.5 billion in combined revenue in 2026.
The company runs its sportsbook and online casino through its Fanatics Betting and Gaming unit. Ad spending for that unit is the focus of Rubin’s latest estimates.
Fanatics is a private company. It does not report its results to the public in the way listed companies do, so the spending figures come from Rubin’s own estimates.
Rivals and Prediction Markets in Focus
Rubin named several well-funded competitors in the space. They include DraftKings, FanDuel and two top prediction market operators.
DraftKings is a publicly traded company. FanDuel is owned by Flutter Entertainment, which is also listed on the stock market.
The report did not identify the two prediction market companies by name. They were described as leading operators in that market.
Rubin’s $7 billion figure is a projection for the whole industry. It is not a total that any single company has committed to spend.
The next thing to watch is whether DraftKings, FanDuel and the top prediction market operators respond with spending increases of their own. Rubin’s comments did not include details on their plans.
Rubin also raised the possibility of consolidation among the five major players in the space. Consolidation can include mergers or buyouts between companies.
However, he did not give a clear view on how far that could go. Rubin said he is “not sure” what level of consolidation the industry could reach.
