Policies to allow DFS in Missouri are moving forward
Missouri lawmakers are working on legislation to turn the Daily Fantasy Sports industry into a regulated sector.
US.- The House of Representatives in Missouri passed new legislation that would require operators of daily fantasy sports sites to pay US$5,000 in annual fees, to ban employees who have insider information of contests from taking part and to limit participation to individuals who are 18 years of age or older.
The new measure faced opposition as it would exempt daily fantasy sports operations from the gambling laws of the state. As it happens in other states, the dilemma is whether to consider DFS as skill-based contest or games of luck.
Scott Fitzpatrick is a Representative of the state who sponsor of the measure. He questions the arguments of lawmakers who state that daily fantasy sports are considered gambling. Fitzpatrick said in a statement that it is hard to say that something is considered gambling and then call it unfair because the same people win most of the time. Therefore, he considers DFS has a significant amount of skill involved.
Another bill to place taxes and heavier restrictions on daily fantasy sports will be debated in the State Senate. During the State of the State Address, Governor Jay Nixon, called for legislators to address the DFS sector, noting that the House bill address some of his concerns like the fact that the industry is not regulated and children are taking part. However, he would also like to see operators taxed for offering their services and the revenues allocated for education purposes.
