The state of Texas may soon be the next in the US to create regulations in regards to the daily fantasy sports industry. Representative Richard Pena Raymond stated late last week that he plans on filing a bill that will clarify the daily fantasy sports industry in the state, naming the activity one of skill and not one of chance.
Back in January, Ken Paxton, the State Attorney General, announced an opinion that daily fantasy sports is considered a prohibited form of gambling due to wagering on events being prohibited when a partial or full element of chance is involved. After his opinion was announced, residents of Texas began to come forward stating their displeasure, arguing that DFS contests are legal.
Raymond has stated that fantasy sports are nothing like a roulette wheel. Speaking with the Texas Tribune, Raymond stated that fantasy football, fantasy sports are a game of skill and not one of chance. The opinion by Paxton, which was published in January, states that fantasy sports leagues is prohibited gambling in the state if you wager on the performance of a participant in a sporting event and the house takes a cut in the process.
Raymond has stated that he disagrees with the AG’s opinion, which is non-binding, stated that he plans on filing the bill later on this year and the proposal would require paying participants to be 18 years of age or older among other regulations.
The representative will have to wait a while before filing the measure as the legislative session is over and will not be back in session until next year. A bill was considered within legislature earlier this year but never made any headway.