A.G. Burnett, chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, said all unlicensed daily fantasy activities must cease and desist as of Thursday. Operators could be invited to apply for a gaming license. Those who do not comply could face felony fines and 10 years in prison.
"We are saying that daily fantasy sports are a gambling game under the statutory definition," Burnett told ESPN on Thursday night. "We're also saying that these are sports pools, which is when someone is in the business of accepting wagers on sporting events through any system or method of wagering. We have found that it is a wager, and obviously, it's on a sporting event, and DFS companies are in the business of accepting those wagers."
"This decision stymies innovation and ignores the fact that fantasy sports is a skill-based entertainment product loved and played by millions of sports fans," Justin Sacco, director of communications for FanDuel, said in the release. "This decision deprives these fans of a product that has been embraced broadly by the sports community, including professional sports teams, leagues and media partners.
The American Gaming Association issued the following statement in response to the ruling:
"The casino gaming industry has repeatedly called for greater legal clarity on daily fantasy sports. We appreciate that the Nevada Gaming Control Board has provided that clarity as well as a roadmap for DFS companies and casinos to provide popular fantasy sports within Nevada borders. We will continue to seek additional clarity in other jurisdictions, as eliminating ambiguity is in the best interests of all parties, including consumers."
The decision comes amid growing backlash by regulators and investigators, including New York's attorney general, after it was revealed employees of daily fantasy sites often played on competing sites, raising questions about possible insider information being used to win.
http://espn.go.com/chalk/story/_/id...aming-control-board-being-unlicensed-gambling
"We are saying that daily fantasy sports are a gambling game under the statutory definition," Burnett told ESPN on Thursday night. "We're also saying that these are sports pools, which is when someone is in the business of accepting wagers on sporting events through any system or method of wagering. We have found that it is a wager, and obviously, it's on a sporting event, and DFS companies are in the business of accepting those wagers."
"This decision stymies innovation and ignores the fact that fantasy sports is a skill-based entertainment product loved and played by millions of sports fans," Justin Sacco, director of communications for FanDuel, said in the release. "This decision deprives these fans of a product that has been embraced broadly by the sports community, including professional sports teams, leagues and media partners.
The American Gaming Association issued the following statement in response to the ruling:
"The casino gaming industry has repeatedly called for greater legal clarity on daily fantasy sports. We appreciate that the Nevada Gaming Control Board has provided that clarity as well as a roadmap for DFS companies and casinos to provide popular fantasy sports within Nevada borders. We will continue to seek additional clarity in other jurisdictions, as eliminating ambiguity is in the best interests of all parties, including consumers."
The decision comes amid growing backlash by regulators and investigators, including New York's attorney general, after it was revealed employees of daily fantasy sites often played on competing sites, raising questions about possible insider information being used to win.
http://espn.go.com/chalk/story/_/id...aming-control-board-being-unlicensed-gambling
