The Major League Baseball Players Association filed a lawsuit against four sportsbooks on Monday, claiming that the companies were not authorized to utilize the names and likenesses of players for their brands.
DraftKings and FanDuel are at the center of the suit, and players are also hoping to receive compensatory and punitive damages from bet365 and Underdog Fantasy. DraftKings and bet365 are being sued in Philadelphia federal court, while the other two sportsbooks are set to appear in New York state court.
The MLBPA is accusing the sportsbooks of “flagrant” violations of state laws that are supposed to protect players in the public eye. Players’ images have frequently been seen on sports betting websites and mobile apps, and MLBPA said players believe that could be misleading, as sportsbook users could be under the impression that those players support wagering on games.
“For professional athletes, the ability to control the commercial use of their names, images and likenesses is a crucial return on their substantial career investment,” the players said.
ESPN reported that it was not able to reach bet365 after business hours. The other three sportsbooks have not yet responded for comment.