Jeff Edelstein
Role at the time: InGame columnist
Statement summary
Jeff Edelstein argues that DraftKings should not be held to a higher moral standard than other businesses marketing potentially harmful products.
“but I don’t see why this behavior is uniquely scandalous.”
Edelstein's column considered the Times' account of DraftKings' promotional targeting and compared it with marketing by other businesses. Edelstein said he disliked the practice but argued that holding gambling companies to a higher standard than other businesses selling potentially harmful products was wrong.
Why we used this label
Reference point: DraftKings' alleged use of AI-targeted promotions to exploit vulnerable gamblers. He excuses the reported practice through a substantive ordinary-business and equal-standards argument. Discomfort is retained as context, not a materially conditional conclusion. This is more than merely disputing a headline.