ABOUT the UKFSC
Understanding fantasy sports in a changing landscape
Fantasy sports are skill-based games in which participants assemble virtual teams of real-world athletes and compete based on their statistical performance in actual sporting events.
Success typically depends on longer-term decision-making — including player selection, squad management and strategic planning — rather than predicting isolated outcomes.
This creates a distinct form of participation, combining competition, analysis and sustained engagement across a season or tournament.
While much of the current market is concentrated in football, fantasy sports are growing across multiple sports, including cricket, Formula 1, NFL and women’s competitions, each with distinct audiences, formats and opportunities.
Fantasy sports sit at the intersection of several broader shifts shaping modern sport:
Fandom & Participation
As participation grows, so too do expectations around accessibility, fairness and the overall player experience.
-
Fantasy sports turn passive audiences into active participants, deepening engagement with teams, players and competitions.
They are now a core part of how many fans experience sport — shaping how audiences follow performance, make decisions and stay engaged over time.
Innovation & Evolution
This shift creates new opportunities — but also new questions around how fantasy products are designed, positioned and understood.
-
Fantasy platforms sit at the intersection of sport, data and digital experience, influencing how fans interact with content, competition and each other.
As formats evolve, expectations around gameplay, user experience and value continue to develop alongside them.
Clarity & Understanding
As fantasy expands alongside betting, media and new technologies, distinctions between formats can become less clear.
-
This creates a need for greater shared understanding of how different fantasy products are designed and experienced.
It also raises questions around how fantasy is positioned within the wider sports and entertainment landscape, particularly where it overlaps with adjacent categories.
Who we are
WHAT IS THE UKFSC?
The UK Fantasy Sports Council is an independent, industry-led initiative focused on research, discussion and shared learning across the UK ecosystem.
It brings together organisations to share insight, explore common questions and contribute to a more informed understanding of fantasy sports.
The UKFSC is not a regulator or representative body, and does not speak on behalf of any individual organisation.
Why does the UKFSC exist?
Fantasy sports are growing rapidly, but are not always consistently understood as the category evolves alongside betting, media and new technologies.
This creates new questions for the industry, its participants, and its partners.
Our mission is simple: to improve understanding of fantasy sports in the UK and support informed discussion as the ecosystem develops, helping the category grow in a clear and considered way.
Our approach
The UKFSC focuses on three core areas:
Discussion & Collaboration
We create opportunities for stakeholders to share perspectives and explore common challenges in all areas of the industry.
✔ Convene roundtables and industry discussions on shared topics and themes
✔ Bring together different parts of the ecosystem to share perspectives and experience
✔ Encourage open, informed dialogue across the category
RESEARCH & INSIGHT
We publish research and perspectives to improve understanding of fantasy sports and its role in fan engagement.
✔ Explore the fantasy sports landscape through data and analysis
✔ Analyse audience behaviour, market trends and product evolution
✔ Share perspectives on emerging themes and developments
RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT
We support thoughtful discussion around how fantasy sports are designed and experienced as the category evolves.
✔ Explore questions around product design and player experience
✔ Contribute to clearer understanding of different formats
✔ Highlight emerging areas of ambiguity or change across products and the wider ecosystem
What this means in practice
For operators & platforms
Access to industry insight and a broader market perspective to inform product development, positioning and long-term strategy, alongside visibility on emerging trends shaping fantasy gameplay and user behaviour.
For Media & Content Creators
Insight into fantasy audiences across different sports and formats, content dynamics and monetisation models, supporting more informed content strategy, stronger engagement and clearer positioning within the evolving ecosystem.
For sports bodies & rights holders
FOR TOOLS & DATA PROVIDERS
FOR SPONSORS & COMMERCIAL PARTNERS
Insight into fantasy’s role in fan engagement, supporting more informed decisions on product strategy, partnerships and audience growth across sports and formats.
Insight into how data and analytics are used by fantasy players and platforms, helping inform product development, positioning and integration opportunities across the ecosystem.
Understanding of fantasy audiences and engagement dynamics across different sports and formats, enabling more effective activation, partnership opportunities and alignment with emerging commercial models.
What you will see from us in year 1
Our first year is focused on turning conversation into practical insight for the industry. The UKFSC will focus on building a clear, practical understanding of the fantasy sports landscape in the UK, while creating opportunities for shared discussion across the ecosystem.
Our initial areas of focus include:
UK Fantasy Sports Audience Research
A flagship research project to map and segment the UK fantasy sports audience — providing a clearer picture of who plays, how they engage, and where future growth opportunities lie.
Roundtables & Discussions
A series of small, focused discussions bringing together operators, media, technology providers and other stakeholders to explore shared questions and challenges.
Insight Papers & Perspectives
Short-form publications exploring key themes across the industry — including audience behaviour, product design, and the evolving role of fantasy in sports fandom.
Emerging Topics & Developments
Ongoing commentary on trends and developments shaping the category, helping to surface new ideas, areas of ambiguity, and topics for discussion.
We expect the UKFSC to evolve through collaboration, with early members helping to shape priorities, topics and areas of focus over time.