PrizePicks is continuing to advocate for daily fantasy sports with the hiring of a new executive who will help support the company in its public affairs efforts.
On Tuesday, the Atlanta-based fantasy sports operator announced the hiring of former Uber executive Nick Zabriskie as the company’s Senior Vice President of Public Affairs.
Zabriskie joins PrizePicks after spending more than a decade at Uber, helping the company’s policy team develop and implement its public affairs strategies in markets across America. Zabriskie was most recently Uber’s Head of Marketplace Policy after working for the company’s policy teams for self-driving and work and economics.
“Adding a seasoned veteran like Nick is a testament to PrizePicks’ exceptional growth and market presence,” said PrizePicks Chief Legal Officer Jason Barclay. “Nick is the perfect person to lead our public affairs efforts for PrizePicks’ next chapter of innovation.”
Zabriskie was integral in advocating for state and local laws that allowed the rideshare company to expand its services while dealing with challenges in the tech industry. The former Uber employee is now helping PrizePicks expand its reach in the U.S. while continuing to adhere to legal and regulatory standards and promoting responsible gaming.
PrizePicks’ presence in the prediction market space
PrizePicks’ public affairs team is poised to handle regulatory and legal concerns regarding prediction markets as the company recently began offering event contract trading through a partnership with Kalshi. PrizePicks and Kalshi teamed up in November to offer event contracts in more than 35 states with sports event contracts available in select markets. PrizePicks entered the prediction market space through its subsidiary Performance Predictions II, a registered futures commission merchant with the National Futures Association.
The event contracts offered by PrizePicks are all markets powered by Kalshi.
PrizePicks is also expanding its presence in the prediction market space with Polymarket. Last month, PrizePicks and Polymarket announced a multiyear deal that allows PrizePicks to offer Polymarket’s event contract markets. A PrizePicks spokesperson told SBC Americas that the company’s prediction market offering with Polymarket will vary from state to state to adhere to standards set by gaming regulators. PrizePick’s policy team will lobby for the company’s sports event contracts as they face scrutiny for their resemblance to betting.
Polymarket and PrizePicks have yet to announce the launch date for their new offering.
PrizePicks faces pushback against DFS
PrizePicks hired Zabriskie as it continues to build its policy and advocacy team as fantasy sports remain a hot topic over the legality of DFS contents. Earlier this year, California Attorney General Rob Bonta released an opinion that declares DFS contests to be in violation of state law. PrizePicks operates in the Golden State, but Bonta’s opinion does not change the law as DFS operators remain allowed to operate within a grey area in the state.
PrizePicks only offers its peer-to-peer products in California amid Bonta’s opinion.
The operator also faced adversity in New York, reentering the state’s fantasy market in October 2025 after reaching a $15 million settlement with the New York State Gaming Commission in February 2024 for operating in the state without a wagering license.
PrizePicks builds policy team
PrizePicks began developing its policy in 2023 with the hiring of Barclay as the company’s first chief legal officer. That same year, the company also appointed former IGT Indiana General Counsel Adam Packer as its Senior Vice President of Legal & Compliance. In 2024, former McGuireWoods Consulting VP of State Government Relations Stuart Wilkinson joined PrizePicks, becoming the company’s Director of Government Affairs.
Lobbying firms hired to advocate for PrizePicks
PrizePicks is also advocating for DFS with the help of lobbying firms.
Last year, PrizePicks hired Hannegan Landau Poersch & Rosenbaum Advocacy to lobby for the company and spent roughly $300,000 for the firm’s services. The lobbyist is the third firm PrizePicks has hired, joining Polaris Government Relations and The Cormac Group. PrizePicks paid Polaris Government Relations $240,000 for its services and The Cormac Group $120,000.
