Betting On Drone Races Is Now A Thing, But Only In Some States

The Drone Racing League has teamed up with DraftKings to launch drone race betting in some states, the two companies have announced, making DRL races the first of their kind open to legal betting. At this point in time, only a handful of states have made it legal to bet on drone races, but regulatory approval is likely to come from other states in the future.

Drone racing is exactly what it sounds like — operators using first-person-view drones to race other operators. At this point in time, it is only legal to place wagers on these races in New Hampshire, New Jersey, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Colorado. However, the companies note in their press announcement that there are regulatory approvals pending in some other states.

Drone Racing League is a pro-tier international league for drone pilots capable of racing with custom-built high-speed UAVs through complex courses. DraftKings, meanwhile, is a sports (including fantasy sports) betting operator that lets the public place wagers on various sporting events.

Sports fans can now place wagers on Drone Racing League competitions using DraftKing's mobile apps. DRL President Rachel Jacobson said about the new arrangement:

The sky is now the limit for DRL fans to get skin in the game, and we're thrilled to partner with DraftKings to transform our high-speed race competition into the ultimate sport to bet on. The opportunity for us to elevate our engagement through all forms of gaming and gambling will only increase as mobile betting becomes more adopted across the country.

Image via DRL