Fantasy Sports Entertainment & Productions, a company formed by fantasy football enthusiasts for fantasy football players, announced the launch of “Draft Nation”, a new annual event celebrating National Fantasy Football Draft Day that brings together thousands of fantasy football fans for a multi-day celebration of fantasy football, its culture and the community that has helped make it one of America’s most popular participatory activities. The inaugural event will take place Aug. 20–22 at Circa Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, where thousands of fantasy football players across the country conduct their league drafts and play in contests to win cash prizes.

With more than 60 million fantasy football players conducting over 200 million drafts at the start of every football season, National Fantasy Football Draft Day formalizes what has long been an unofficial holiday for millions of fantasy football players. America’s most popular non-contact sport, fantasy football has transformed how fans engage with football, blending competition, data, and social connection. National Fantasy Football Draft Day aligns that experience into a single shared moment, bringing leagues and individual fantasy players from across the country together to draft simultaneously.

“Fantasy football has grown more than 10% every year since the mid-2000s and now more people play fantasy football than golf in America. The time is now to celebrate the community that built it. National Fantasy Football Draft Day gives entire leagues a reason to make a trip out for their annual draft while also welcoming all fans who want to be part the celebration of the fantasy football culture. Whether you’re arriving with your entire league or making the trip on your own, we want everyone to be part of one shared celebration of fantasy football,” said Rick Wolf, Fantasy Sports Hall of Famer and co-founder of Draft Nation.

Circa Resort & Casino will serve as the official host of National Fantasy Football Draft Day, providing a centralized destination for leagues and individual players traveling to Las Vegas to participate in the celebration. In addition to live drafts, the weekend will feature celebrity appearances, industry personalities, fan competitions, award ceremonies, league meetups, and special events designed to celebrate the traditions, rivalries, and stories that have become synonymous with fantasy football culture.

“We’ve loved seeing the growth of fantasy football in recent years around Las Vegas and especially at Circa Resort & Casino. We’re excited to bring Draft Nation weekend to Circa to take fantasy football to the next level,” said Derek Stevens, CEO of Circa Resort & Casino.

National Fantasy Football Draft Day also reflects the evolution of fantasy football from a niche hobby in the 1960s into a modern entertainment ecosystem driven by advanced analytics, digital platforms and year-round fan engagement. The celebration will recognize the top achievers from the weekend events, the innovation continuing to redefine strategy and gameplay, and the traditions that define its culture, from draft-day rituals to last-place punishments.

“Collectively, our four founders have more than 100 years of fantasy football experience. We know what makes a draft weekend feel like the draft weekend: the trash talk. It’s the story everyone retells. It’s who comes prepared and who just wings it. It’s the rivalry that’s been running for ten seasons. Right now, those moments stay locked inside your league. We’re building a place where those moments are shared and where fantasy football players truly belong,” said Edward Bunnell, co-founder of Draft Nation.

Draft Nation will announce additional details in the coming weeks, including participating celebrities, professional athletes, fantasy football personalities, and strategic brand partners. These announcements will further highlight the magnitude of National Fantasy Football Draft Day and reinforce its position as a premier moment across sports, entertainment, and culture.

FantasySpin, a premier Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) operator, and FastDraft, the rapidly growing Best Ball platform, announced a corporate merger. The strategic combination will create a fantasy sports powerhouse offering sports fans an unparalleled, all-encompassing fantasy experience.

FantasySpin and FastDraft booked over $1M in contest entries in the first year. The stage is now set for massive 2026/2027 growth as FantasySpin contests will be available to an expanded population of 330 million people across 38 U.S. states and Canada.

DFS Innovation Leader

FantasySpin, renowned for its groundbreaking contributions to the Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) industry, strengthens its market position with this merger. The company’s patented DFS products gamify the process of building fantasy lineups to provide immediate gratification. FantasySpin users leverage skill and strategy to build teams in a thrilling, slots-like experience—sitting at the intersection of iGaming and fantasy sports. The merger reinforces FantasySpin’s commitment to delivering hyper-engaging user experiences and fostering innovation within the DFS space.

“This merger is a monumental step forward for the fantasy sports industry. Our community loves the immediate gratification of DFS, and we recognize the explosive popularity of the Best Ball format. By joining forces with FastDraft, we are giving more than 60 million fantasy gamers in North America the ultimate toolkit to play how they want and when they want, fast,” said Steve “Dakota” Happas, CEO of FantasySpin.

Revolutionizing Best Ball

FastDraft’s proprietary, user-friendly best ball format allows drafts to finish in under five minutes. The platform eliminates the need for constant in-season roster management, waivers, and trades. The merger allows FastDraft to instantly expand its NFL products to the NBA, PGA, MLB, NHL, and other major sports. With the addition of FantasySpin DFS contests, FastDraft users may now enjoy sweating the action across all major professional sports 365 days a year.

According to FastDraft founder Matt Kelley, the partnership is a game-changer for fantasy sports players around the world.

“These two brands teaming up is excellent news for fantasy players worldwide, and I’m thrilled to witness the exciting possibilities that lie ahead as we unite the best daily and season-long fantasy formats on the planet,” said Kelley.

A Unified Platform Vision

The merger signifies a milestone as FantasySpin looks to integrate its engaging free-to-play and real-money game formats across 5 major professional sports, as well as college football and basketball, into FastDraft’s full suite of NFL fantasy sports contest formats. Users will soon be able to deposit and play seamlessly between platforms, marking a significant advancement in fantasy sports offerings. Anticipated integrations include:

• New DFS Markets: 86% of the U.S. population will have access to FantasySpin’s slots-meets-daily fantasy contests.

• Expanded Contest Optionality: Users will have a robust suite of gamified DFS experiences and rapid Best Ball draft formats across major sports.

• Unified Wallet System: A single account and shared bankroll to manage funds across all game types.

• Shared Promotions and Loyalty Rewards: Earn special prizes, promo funds and free-play bonuses regardless of which format you choose to play.

“The sports gaming ecosystem is heading toward a significant consolidation — operators like DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, Underdog, and Betr are all competing for the same users, many of whom already have accounts across every platform, and the rise of prediction markets (Kalshi, Robinhood) has only accelerated that disruption and pressure on traditional operators. The companies that survive will be those who find ways to differentiate their product or merge with others, and we built FantasySpin around a truly unique experience — where skill meets thrill — precisely for that reason,” said Steve “Dakota” Happas, CEO of FantasySpin.

PrizePicks, the leading sports entertainment operator in North America, announced that it has launched its innovative peer-to-peer fantasy sports contest in New York. Players across the state can now compete in engaging leaderboard style fantasy sports games.

“Returning to New York is a testament to the state’s commitment to embracing innovative gaming products,” said Nick Zabriskie, SVP of Government Affairs, PrizePicks. “Players deserve a competitive landscape, allowing them to engage with their favorite contests in a regulated environment. We’re excited to bring our games back to sports fans who have eagerly been awaiting our return and to extend our footprint in the Empire State.”

In October, PrizePicks was awarded an interactive fantasy sports license by the New York State Gaming Commission. New York is the 16th state to formally ratify PrizePicks’s fantasy contests as games of skill under its interactive fantasy sports rules.

As PrizePicks continues to expand to new markets, investment into Responsible Gaming remains a key focus. In 2025, PrizePicks was awarded iCAP accreditation by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) for its Responsible Gaming practices and efforts, becoming the first and only fantasy sports operator to earn the certification.