The countdown is on, and San Francisco is electric. But this isn’t just another night at the Chase Center—it’s NBA All-Star Weekend. The league’s finest have arrived, ready to put on a show. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant will command the spotlight. But, the rookie, Wemby, the Joker, Antman, and a KAT are lurking, hungry to shake things up. Expect jaw-dropping plays, fierce rivalries, and pure basketball chaos. Yet, just as the festivities begin, a few storm clouds hover over the NBA, threatening to steal some of the thunder.

DraftKings, a $25 billion giant, has been the NBA’s official sports betting partner since 2021. But in 2024, they went even bigger—signing none other than LeBron James. Surprisingly, though, the King isn’t hyping basketball. Instead, he’s backing the NFL, the sport he loves second only to the one he’s ruled for decades. The deal is massive, but so is the drama. Controversy and DraftKings go hand in hand, and just when things seem smooth, a fresh storm is brewing.

LeBron James’ partners DraftKings slammed with major allegations ahead of the NBA All-Star Weekend

DraftKings is back in hot water. A new lawsuit in New York claims its exclusive VIP program isn’t just about perks—it’s a trap for gambling addicts. Leading the charge is Dr. Kavita Fischer, a Pennsylvania psychiatrist, who’s suing for negligence and emotional distress. She argues that DraftKings knew she had a problem but kept pulling her in any way. According to her, the company ignored every red flag and pushed her deeper into the game. And now, she’s fighting back.

Dr. Fischer’s lawsuit paints a troubling picture. Her complaint claims that LeBron James‘ partners had all the signs—its own data showed “exponential growth in the deposits, frequency, and in amounts and frequencies which only an addicted gambler could deposit and gamble.” Yet, instead of stepping in, they upgraded her to VIP status on Dec. 8, 2022. The result? A staggering 446 deposits totaling over $208,000 in just three months. Her losses? A crushing $153,000!

The complainer also notes something extremely concerning and serious in this matter. According to Dr. Kavita Fischer, the $25 billion worth of company knew what she was doing. As her betting spiraled, the VIP program—complete with a personal VIP “host”—kept her hooked with “incentives, gifts, bonuses, and awards.” She got everything from credits to free hockey tickets, all designed to keep her playing. But the warning signs were there. If DraftKings didn’t realize her losses were wrecking her “financial damage and emotional distress,” she says it should have—because she told them.

In January, she emailed her VIP host, admitting she “should probably use (her) rational brain and switch to a table game or quit gambling completely,” but also asked for “some VIP love based on (her) donations to DK this year.” Instead of concern, DraftKings allegedly sent her $500 in casino credits the same day. Then in March, she went even further—asking for a loan to cover her mortgage, writing, “Probably means I need to quit gambling soon also.”

Just as things hit a breaking point, her VIP host finally checked in. “Are you still playing within your means/budget?” they asked, adding, “We take responsible gambling very seriously here… Ensuring everyone is engaging in safe and responsible play is my number one priority.” Sounds thoughtful—except within a week, Fischer says LeBron James’ partners sent her six more emails pushing her to keep playing and bet even bigger before she even had a chance to respond.

But wait, there’s more to the allegations than just monetary loss. The complainer is straight-out blaming the company for not being mindful enough to curb gambling addiction and help the addicts. Therefore, Fischer wants her fair share of compensatory and punitive damages, plus interest and legal costs.

Calls for swift action intensify as the risk of an NBA rift grows

Fischer says DraftKings’ so-called prevention measures were never meant to stop gambling—just the opposite. Her lawsuit claims the company “intentionally targeted and preyed on Plaintiff with incentives, credits, and gifts to create, nurture, expedite, and/or exacerbate her addiction despite and/or because of their knowledge of her addiction.” In other words, they saw the red flags and kept waving her in.

Thus, Fischer wants more than just justice—she’s demanding compensatory and punitive damages, plus interest and legal costs. But her case isn’t just about her. The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) reports that sports bettors face gambling issues at twice the rate of other gamblers. From 2004 to 2018, the surge in fantasy games signaled trouble ahead, long before the Supreme Court overturned the federal sports betting ban. Now, the problem is only escalating.

With sports betting laws varying by state, consumer protections remain inconsistent. On average, states meet just 32 of the NCPG’s 82 player protection standards. Until reforms happen, lawsuits will likely keep mounting. In New Jersey, a class action claims DraftKings preys on vulnerable bettors. In New York, another suit alleges deceptive advertising to lure new players. With the industry handling $120 billion in bets in 2023, the risks are only growing.

Now, the question remains: What will the NBA do about this? Well, they are in no position to do anything, except they could revoke the official sports betting partnership with Bron’s NFL parlaying partners. Surely, these allegations backed with proof cannot be a good news for the company as well as the league. And with the NBA All-Star Weekend rolling out in style, Adam Silver would want anything but negative light!