Louisiana Mulls Over Daily Fantasy Sports Legislation
Louisiana has become the latest state to consider a measure fully legalizing daily fantasy sports for real money.
While not explicitly illegal in Louisiana, State Representative Joseph Lopinto wants his bill to clarify that daily fantasy sports is not gambling.
“We’re not betting on the outcome of a game or a point spread. Fantasy football is a game of skill,” Lopinto said.
Daily fantasy sports has become a multi-million dollar industry over the past two years with professional sports leagues, teams and players dabbling in lucrative sponsorship deals.
Not all states have had success pushing through bills that would legalize the activity.
Just last week, Gambling911.com’s own Thomas Somach broke the story that efforts to legalize daily fantasy sports in the state of Indiana had failed.
In January, Indiana state representative Alan Morrison, a Republican from Terre Haute who has a master's degree in sports management, introduced two bills into the state legislature--one to legalize sports betting at the state's casinos and one to legalize fantasy sports wagering at them.
The sports betting bill, officially House Bill 1073, would have allowed wagering on college and professional sporting events at Indiana casinos, racetrack-casinos (racinos) and off-track betting facilities.
The fantasy sports bill, officially House Bill 1074, would have allowed fantasy sports wagering at racinos.
Morrison's press secretary, Jessica Baker, told Gambling 911 on Thursday: "Both bills died in committee."
Fantasy sports for real money is legal in 40 U.S. states while a handful of others offer some ambiguity as to the legalization of sports-related contests that offer cash prizes.
Federal legislation passed in 2006 permits fantasy sports for real money under legaislation designed to prohibit most forms of gambling online.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
