Page 7 - Aruba Today
P. 7
U.S. NEWS A7
Monday 29 February 2016
State legislatures see flurry of daily fantasy sports bills
PHILIP MARCELO cifically exempted fantasy Peter Schoenke, chairman of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, speaks during a public hear-
Associated Press sports, paving the way ing in Boston. The daily fantasy sports debate has spilled into state capitols nationwide, with nearly
BOSTON (AP) — The daily for the creation of the 30 legislatures considering proposals to regulate, ban or affirm the games played by millions of
fantasy sports debate has niche industry that’s since Americans.
spilled into state capitols exploded in popularity,
nationwide, with nearly prompting policymakers to (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
30 legislatures considering take a closer look.
proposals to regulate, ban Companies like Boston’s to GamblingCompliance industry-backed proposal ciated Press review.
or affirm the games played DraftKings and New York’s Research Services, which exempting the games from Among them is a Virginia
by millions of Americans. FanDuel have argued their has been tracking the leg- state gambling regulations bill that’s the first headed to
The flurry of recent legisla- contests aren’t gambling islation. and imposing requirements the governor for approval
tive activity represents a because the games re- At least half the bills rep- meant to protect consum- this year, following passage
sea change for the indus- quire more skill than luck. resent variations of an ers, according to an Asso- by the legislature last week.
try, which for years was But where it once shied
content to operate largely away from heavy over-
unregulated. sight, the industry is now
“We’ve been operating embracing limited regula-
in this gray area for a long tion, so long as it isn’t sub-
time, and, up until now, it jected to the same exact-
hasn’t really been a prob- ing standards as traditional
lem,” says Peter Schoenke, gambling operations.
chairman of the Fantasy “The laws of skill gaming
Sports Trade Association, and gambling were written
which hired about 65 lob- like a hundred years ago
bying firms in 44 states to and they don’t really fit
push bills favorable to the fantasy sports,” Schoenke
industry. “What we want to says.
do in all of these states is to This year’s tally of 30 states
clarify that it is legal.” with pending bills is up from
A 2006 federal law banned roughly 16 states last year
online gambling but spe- and two in 2014, according
