FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 6, 2026

Contact: Abby Arndt, media@thefsga.org

Nigel Eccles elected to Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame 
 Induction ceremony to take place July 9 at 
 Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association's Summer Conference in Philadelphia

MIDDLETON, WI – The Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association (FSGA) today announced that Nigel Eccles, co-founder and CEO of Sentient Studios – and co-founder and former CEO of FanDuel – has been selected as the 27th inductee into the Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame, recognizing his transformative impact on the fantasy sports industry and his enduring legacy as one of its most influential innovators.

As co-founder and CEO of FanDuel, Eccles helped redefine fantasy sports by pioneering the Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) format, creating a faster-paced, more accessible experience that attracted millions of new players and fundamentally reshaped the industry. Under his leadership, FanDuel grew from a startup founded in 2009 into one of the most recognizable brands in sports gaming, helping establish DFS as a mainstream form of entertainment and laying the foundation for the broader growth of legal online sports betting in the United States.

"As a pioneer in Daily Fantasy Sports, Nigel helped redefine the way we play fantasy sports, creating an entirely new gameplay category almost from thin air," said former FSGA Chair and current Hall of Fame Committee co-Chair Paul Charchian. "The explosion of DFS catapulted fantasy sports from a burgeoning hobby into mainstream consciousness. Certainly, FanDuel benefited from Nigel's inspiration, but he also helped create countless downstream careers for content creators, stats providers, attorneys, lobbyists, and many others. Without question, Nigel is one of the most impactful individuals in the history of fantasy sports."

Eccles' entrepreneurial journey began with Hubdub, a prediction market platform that ultimately evolved into the concept behind FanDuel. Throughout his tenure as CEO, he led the company through explosive growth, industry-defining innovation, and the regulatory challenges that accompanied the emergence of DFS. FanDuel's success helped create an entirely new category within interactive sports entertainment and influenced the evolution of today's regulated online gaming industry.

Following his departure from FanDuel in 2017, Eccles has remained at the forefront of gaming and technology innovation. He co-founded e-Sports and social gaming platform Flick, launched sports card marketplace StarStock, and has been involved in several ventures exploring the intersection of sports, technology, and blockchain. Eccles has stayed in gaming, most recently as co-founder and CEO of Sentient Studios, a developer of AI powered live dealer games, alongside fellow FanDuel co-founder Rob Jones. 

"I am incredibly honored to be inducted into the Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame," said Eccles. “This recognition isn't just about me - it’s about the amazing team that built FanDuel, our early investors and partners who believed in the vision, and the millions of players who embraced something new. Innovation has always been driven by people willing to challenge convention, and I'm grateful to have been part of an industry that continues to evolve and create new ways for fans to connect with the games they love. It's an honor to join the Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame alongside so many pioneers whose contributions helped make this industry what it is today." 

The Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose vision, leadership, and contributions have significantly advanced the fantasy sports industry. As the 27th inductee, Eccles joins an esteemed group of executives, innovators, entrepreneurs, and media personalities whose work has helped shape fantasy sports into one of the world's most dynamic forms of sports engagement.

Previous honorees are Ian Allan, Greg Ambrosius, Kevin Austin, John Benson, Matthew Berry, Joe Bryant, Charchian, Cliff Charpentier, Steve Cohen, Glenn Colton, John Dewan, Mike Hall, John Hunt, Bill James, Emil Kadlec, Lawr Michaels, Daniel Okrent, Peter Pezaris, Rob Phythian, Peter Schoenke, Ron Shandler, Stacie Stern, Glen Waggoner, Charlie Wiegert, Bill Winkenbach and Rick Wolf. 

Eccles’ induction ceremony will take place July 9 at the Logan, Philadelphia, as part of the FSGA Summer Conference. Register for the conference and review the agenda at 

Summer Conference - Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association. 

About FSGA

The Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association is the only national organization representing the interests of fantasy sports and gaming companies. We are the voice for over 80 million fantasy sports players in the United States and Canada, and for the companies that provide services, news, information, and competition to support these growing industries. Our members are sports and gaming enthusiasts, with companies that range from small startups to large media corporations. Our mission is to provide our members with essential research and data, networking opportunities and collective action to help them reach their potential. For more information, visit https://thefsga.org.