Maryland’s fashionably late adoption of daily fantasy sports regulations went into effect on January 2, 2017, providing several consumer safeguards in the industry. State regulations surrounding the industry came flooding in after fantasy sport kingpins DraftKings Inc. and FanDuel Inc. faced a number of class action suits in 2015. Maryland’s regulations appear much less restrictive than most, however, in that they do not require operators to shell out a high registration fee (Virginia requires a whopping $50,000), and they set its minimum age at 18 …
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DraftKings Sued by Fantasy Sports Cable Network
DraftKings has gotten a lot of negative attention in the past year, and its luck doesn’t seem to be changing. On September 23, 2016, Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp sued DraftKings in a New York court for failing to pay over $4 million in a television programming deal.
In August 2015, Anthem Sports, as the owner of the fantasy sports cable network Fantasy Sports Network, Inc., claimed it made a television programming deal in which DraftKings agreed to pay Anthem $4.5 million to produce daily …
Continue ReadingDaily Fantasy Sports Companies Investing Big Money in Lobbying
After the first two weeks of NFL football in 2016, once thing is apparent; there are far fewer commercials advertising for daily fantasy sports. The decline in the advertising of daily fantasy sports companies makes sense given the rising costs other factors associated with the legality of these sites. FanDuel Inc. and DraftKings Inc., the largest daily fantasy players, are fighting for their existence on a state-by-state basis. Daily fantasy sports companies are pushing to be classified as a “game of skill” instead of a …
Continue ReadingDraftKings Automated Text Class Action Continues
DraftKings has been subject to ongoing legal scrutiny and the legality of online fantasy leagues hosted by companies like DraftKings and FanDuel has been debated over the past years. Along with questions surrounding potential anti-gambling law violations, stakeholders are also questioning the truthfulness of the aggressive advertisement tactics employed.
In October 2014, Izsak expressed his displeasure with DraftKings advertising tactics by filing a class action suit in Illinois federal court. He claims that on September 1, 2014, he received an unsolicited text message from DraftKings, …
Continue ReadingIllinois Fantasy Sports Bill Stalls in House Heading into Summer
The Illinois state legislature wrapped up its spring session on Tuesday, May 31, 2016, and came with it the disappointment of many an avid daily fantasy sports player, as a proposed bill regulating the fantasy industry failed to be called to a vote before the end of the session. The bill, which had already passed in the Illinois Senate, seeks to allow DFS giants DraftKings and FanDuel to legally operate throughout the state under specific regulations. Some of those potential restrictions include limiting DFS games …
Continue ReadingDraftKings Taking a Gamble: Daily Fantasy Sports Operation Bets Gambler’s Wife is Insincere in Requested Damages
On June 3, 2016, Daily fantasy operator DraftKings insisted a Tennessee federal court continue to review a woman’s lawsuit to be reimbursed for her husband’s daily fantasy gambling losses. Previously, Erica Miller filed a motion to have her suit returned to Tennessee state court because her request for damages just under $47,000 — well under the $75,000 threshold required for federal jurisdiction. This lawsuit has developed a bizarre shift in traditional legal practice where the plaintiff is saying they want less money and the defendant …
Continue ReadingClass Action Suit From College Athletes Against Fantasy Sports Continues in Federal Court
On Wednesday, May 18, 2016, former NCAA athletes moved their lawsuit against major fantasy sports sites FanDuel and Draftkings to Indiana federal court. The lawsuit was initiated earlier this month when a group of former athletes sued FanDuel and Draftkings over the unauthorized use of the players’ names and likeness for fantasy sports betting. The class action alleges that the fantasy sports sites used the players’ names and likenesses to promote fantasy college sports contests for which they charged fees and generated about $3 billion.…
Continue ReadingRefereeing Daily Fantasy Sports Industry: Missouri Becomes Sixth State to Pass Legislation
Amid ongoing Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) scrutiny across the United States, Missouri lawmakers have passed a bill to legalize and regulate the industry. On Thursday, May 12, 2016, the Missouri House of Representatives signed onto the Missouri Senate’s version of the bill titled “Missouri Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act,” HB 1941, which now awaits approval by Governor Jay Nixon.
Under the bill, DFS will be exempt from existing gambling law, regulated by the Missouri Gaming Commission, but operators will be required to obtain …
Continue ReadingFantasy Sports Considered Illegal Gambling by Two More Attorneys General
Alabama and Tennessee can be added to the list of states with attorneys general who do not believe daily fantasy sports are legal under their state law. On April 5, 2016, the Alabama Attorney General issued a press release reporting he delivered cease and desist letters to FanDuel and Draft Kings. The two leagues have until May 1, 2016 to stop operating in Alabama. According the Attorney General Luther Strange, “paid daily fantasy sports contests are in fact illegal gambling under Alabama law.”
Tennessee Attorney …
Continue ReadingFantasy Sports Suspend College Sports Contests
Daily fantasy sports companies DraftKings and FanDuel have voluntarily agreed to suspend DFS contests involving college sports. This agreement arises after months of discussions between the fantasy sports companies, the NCAA, its member schools, and various state legislatures.
As the March Madness Tournament winds down, the agreement to suspend fantasy college contests will go into effect after tonight’s championship game.
DraftKings and FanDuel have been battling over the legality of their fantasy sports contests for quite some time. For example, DraftKings and FanDuel recently agreed …
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