Two states are closing in on new laws to regulate the daily fantasy sports industry.
The legislatures in New Jersey and Delaware have both passed DFS bills in the past week. Both just need the signatures of their respective governors to become law.
Those states join New Hampshire in that boat.
DFS legislation update
NJ, Delaware almost to finish line
New Jersey, in the wake of excitement of the US Supreme Court taking up its sports betting case, managed to pass a fantasy sports bill.
The bill was overwhelmingly approved in both chambers. The timing with the sports betting case breathing back to life is certainly odd, however.
All that remains is for Gov. Chris Christie to sign it.
Delaware took similar action — a bill got through the legislature — although the status of DFS is much different there. DraftKings and FanDuel do not operate in the state, currently, after being asked to cease and desist by the state attorney general. A new law would obviously change that.
More on both states here.
The DFS bill tally
The number of states that have introduced legislation seeking to legalize DFS in 2017 remains at 25. And the number of states with active legislation stands at 18:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Texas
- Vermont
- Washington
Legal Sports Report’s legislative tracker has up-to-the-minute updates on all DFS legislation.
Sports betting legalization update
More on NJ sports betting
Analysts were still digesting the fact that SCOTUS would take up New Jersey’s case as it attempts to legalize sports gambling.
While there was nothing substantive that happened, an academic paper floated the possibility that SCOTUS could shut down Nevada sports betting in its ruling. If you find that unlikely, you’re not alone, but it does have a chance of happening. More here.
Sports betting legislation
There are 11 states that have either taken up the fight to repeal PASPA, or are exploring legislation that would authorize sports betting if federal sports betting laws were to change:
- Connecticut
- Hawaii
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- New Jersey
- New York
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
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