KXAN Austin
Thousands of Texans are breaking the law but they soon might be off the hook.
Many sports fans say playing daily fantasy sports is an increasing aspect of the games they love to watch. By paying a fee they have the possibility of winning big money if the players they pick perform well on game day.
In January 2016, Ken Paxton, the Texas Attorney General, was asked to weigh in on the major daily fantasy sports companies like FanDuel and Draftkings. Overnight he told an estimated 700,000 Texans they were breaking the law. In the eyes of the State of Texas, daily fantasy sports was illegal gambling. But that could soon change.
[…]Four million Texans play fantasy sports. 700,000 play daily fantasy sports, according to a newly formed group, the Texas Fantasy Sports Alliance. The Alliance has collected nearly 40-thousand messages from players. They hope to convince lawmakers to join ten other states and separate daily fantasy sports from illegal gambling.
When lawmakers go into session, spokesman Scott Dunaway says the Alliance plans to rally — urging lawmakers to act. Dunaway says, “Provide that clarity because right now a grey area has been created and it’s important for us to find out way through that grey area, to provide clarity and affirm fantasy sports here in Texas so we can enjoy them.” The Texas Fantasy Sports Alliance is a division of a national group called “Fantasy Sports For All”. FanDuel and DraftKings are both part of the Alliance.