Key Highlights

● DraftKings dismissed BDO USA as its auditor on September 23, 2026 following an Audit Committee evaluation process.

● Deloitte & Touche LLP was appointed the same day, with an engagement letter executed September 25, 2026.

● BDO will complete its audit of fiscal year 2026 before its dismissal formally takes effect.

● Deloitte's engagement begins with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2027, avoiding a mid-year audit split.

DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ:DKNG) disclosed in a Form 8-K filed September 25, 2026 that it dismissed BDO USA as its independent registered public accounting firm on September 23, 2026, following an evaluation process by its Audit Committee, and appointed Deloitte & Touche LLP as its new auditor, with an engagement letter executed September 25, 2026. The company said there were no disagreements or reportable events with BDO during the relevant periods.

An Evaluation-Driven Switch, Not a Falling-Out

The filing frames the change as the outcome of a deliberate evaluation process conducted by DraftKings' Audit Committee, rather than a reaction to any dispute or accounting problem. BDO's dismissal, effective September 23, 2026, is set to take effect immediately after the conclusion of BDO's audit of DraftKings' financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, meaning BDO will complete its work on the current fiscal year before formally stepping aside. Deloitte, meanwhile, was appointed the same day and will take over as DraftKings' auditor starting with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2027.

No Disagreements, No Adverse Opinions

SEC rules require companies changing auditors to disclose whether the departing firm's reports contained any adverse opinions or disclaimers, and whether there were disagreements over accounting principles or practices. DraftKings' filing states plainly that there were "no 'disagreements'...between the Company and BDO on any matter of accounting principles or practices" and "no 'reportable events'" during fiscal years 2024 and 2025 and through September 23, 2026. That disclosure indicates the switch was not driven by any unresolved accounting dispute or concern raised by the outgoing auditor.

The Committee's Role

The filing states that DraftKings' Audit Committee completed the evaluation process and made both the decision to dismiss BDO and the decision to appoint Deloitte. Audit committees at public companies are typically responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the outside auditor, and a periodic competitive evaluation of the incumbent auditor, sometimes called an audit tender, is a common governance practice among large public companies, even absent any specific problem with the current firm's work.

Timing Tied to Fiscal Years, Not Immediate Effect

Because BDO's dismissal takes effect only after it completes the audit of DraftKings' fiscal year 2026 financial statements, and Deloitte's engagement begins with fiscal year 2027, the transition does not disrupt the audit of DraftKings' current fiscal year in progress. This structure, retaining the outgoing auditor through the completion of the fiscal year already underway rather than an abrupt mid-year switch, is a common approach for large companies changing auditors, since it avoids splitting audit responsibility for a single fiscal year between two different firms.

DraftKings' Business

The 8-K itself provides no description of DraftKings' business, identifying the company only as a Nevada-incorporated entity headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with Class A common stock trading on Nasdaq under the ticker DKNG. DraftKings operates as a digital sports entertainment and gaming company, offering online sports betting and iGaming products across U.S. and international markets, though that description does not appear in this particular filing.

What the Filing Does Not Cover

The 8-K does not disclose the fees DraftKings will pay Deloitte under the new engagement, whether the company solicited proposals from other accounting firms as part of its evaluation process, or how long BDO had previously served as the company's auditor before this dismissal. It also does not address whether the auditor change relates to any specific area of DraftKings' business, such as its sports betting operations, its international iGaming segment, or its accounting for promotional credits and other wagering-related items that large gaming companies often disclose as areas of accounting judgment.

Transition Milestones to Track

The completion of BDO's audit of DraftKings' fiscal year 2026 financial statements will mark when BDO's dismissal formally takes effect. Deloitte's first audit engagement covers DraftKings' fiscal year ending December 31, 2027. Investors should also watch for any further disclosure in DraftKings' upcoming Annual Report addressing the auditor transition or related internal control matters.