A lengthy battle between lawmakers who oppose gambling and the supporters of gambling eventually resulted in passing of a New York DFS bill. The final say was in the hands of Governor Andrew Cuomo. Daily Fantasy Sports games are now legal in the state as he just signed the bill into a law.
A months-long feud has now come to an end with Cuomo’s acceptance of the bill. Many residents were angry when DFS sites DraftKings and FanDuel were shut down by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. In most states DFS games are legal.
The DFS bill passed on June 18 with a 45-17 in favor voted by the New York State Senate. The governor’s approval was the only thing left before the bill was put into law.
Many New Yorkers actually became anxious to get this bill passed with College Football season’s and the National Football League only a month away. In America the sports to watch and wager is still football. That’s possibly one of the reason’s Cuomo couldn’t let the bill sit on his desk for too long with the potential revenue at stake.
Legal or Illegal- Sports Betting
Except for Nevada, sports betting in the United States remains illegal. Prosecution may be a consequence for those wagering on sporting events in New York. However, Daily Fantasy Sports is not seen as a form of sports betting:
“It is not a form of gambling according to those whose opinions matter most: the lawmakers. To most, it most certainly is. In order to enter a DFS contest, one must place a wager and there is no guarantee of a win.”
In the form of daily fantasy games it is now legal to wager on sports. However, on the outcome of the game can not be wagered.
Luck or Skill?
The argument that winning requires skill and not luck was the deciding factor for the bill to pass. For poker, the rules are different as many lawmakers still have a hard time seeing poker as a game of skill.
In most states poker isn’t legal and the main reason for that is because it’s considered a game of luck. However, over a long period the best poker players consistently showed to win.
The lobby for the online poker bill has been huge. Unfortunately, the state Senate shot down a bill that already passed a House vote. As previously mentioned, the focus was instead on passing a DFS bill, as it is now seen as purely a game of chance with minimal skill, like poker.
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