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might unlock some votes in the House,
where the bills seem to face stronger op-
position. Casino operators have also spoken
out against bills that authorize Fantasy
Sports betting without the operators sub-
mitting to the same rigorous vetting process
that casinos are subjected to.
Quebec Moves
to Block Online Access
to Illegal Unlicensed
i-Gaming Operators
Provincial i-gaming website
Espacejeux is operated by Loto-Quebec,
the authorized operator of online gaming
in Quebec. Lawmakers are taking action
to prevent illegal online gaming requiring
Internet service providers (ISPs) to block
consumer access to all major gambling sites
except Espacejeux.
Michigan Lottery Inter-
net Lottery Sales have
Mushroomed along with
the Number of Players
Using their Smartphones
and Personal Computers to Play
At the outset there were about 86,000
players who registered with the state
for the Internet games. The number of
players has grown by over 300% to about
322,000 players. The increased Internet
betters have pumped $147 million ad-
ditional dollars into state coffers with $14
million of that going to Michigan schools.
And the Lottery Bureau is predicting
those numbers will increase over the next
eight years to an additional $480 million.
Rep. Andy Schor says
“If they’re going to
play anyway, we should probably regulate it
and we should probably grab some tax dol-
lars off of it. I think that people can gamble
if they want to gamble.”
Nevada Gambling Regulators Approve
New Fantasy Sports Model
The New Fantasy Sports gambling plat-
form approved by Nevada regulators will
further blur the lines between traditional
sports betting and fantasy sports contests,
an industry that insists its games are not
gambling in the face of legal challenges
across the country. Several states over
the past year have challenged the fantasy
sports industry, which first drew wide-
spread scrutiny last year amid a flurry
of advertising that promised the savviest
sports fans millions of dollars in payouts.
The industry has lobbied states to approve
laws that would allow them to operate
without legal ambiguity.
Not much Accomplished
at Fantasy Sports Inaugural
Congressional Hearing
The major DFS operators and sports
leagues refused to participate. The informa-
tional hearing, no legislation has been in-
troduced, was largely void of the fireworks
and theatrics some had expected. Rep.
Pallone still took the opportunity to blast
FanDuel and DraftKings as hypocrites.
He asked how the two operators, which
comprise 95 percent of the DFS market,
could maintain their stance that daily
fantasy sports is distinguishably different
than prohibited forms of sports gambling,
even as they apply for gambling licenses in
the United Kingdom.
“What is DraftKings’
rationale for getting a gambling license in
the U.K. if they say daily fantasy sports is not
gambling? How do they justify this?”
The United States Conference of
Mayors (USCM) Approves a Resolution
that Backs Sports Betting
The USCM represents 1,407 US cities that
have a population of at least 30,000 people.
“The American Gaming Association esti-
mates that in 2015 alone, Americans placed
nearly $149 billion in illegal sports bets,”
the resolution states.
“Current law is out of
step with public attitudes, as the vast major-
ity of football fans, 65 percent, say legal,
regulated betting will protect the integrity of
the games or have no impact on outcomes.”
In conclusion, the USCM said,
“The
United States Conference of Mayors and the
nation’s Mayors, believe it’s time for a new
approach to sports betting in the United
States that could include strict regulation,
rigorous consumer protections, taxation of
revenues to benefit local communities, and
robust tools and resources for law enforce-
ment to root out illegal sports betting.”
The American Gaming Association’s
(AGA) Convenes Law Enforcement
Leaders to Critique Federal
Prohibition on Sports Betting
More than 30 law enforcement leaders
from across the country gathered at the
American Gaming Association’s (AGA)
first-ever Law Enforcement Summit.
“The
illegal sports betting market is a growing
problem and no group is more credible in
carrying that message and identifying a
solution than members of law enforcement,”
said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO
of the AGA.
“This Summit highlighted that
the illegal sports betting market funds large
criminal enterprises and fails to protect the
integrity of the sports we all love. It’s time
for a modernized approach that will support
law enforcement around the country.”
Based on input from the Summit, the
AGA’s Illegal Gambling Advisory Board
will author an after-action report that will
serve as a guide for stakeholders—includ-
ing policymakers, regulators and sports
leagues—to develop potential solutions.
“The reality is that illegal sports betting is a
growing and dangerous problem; the scope is
massive—hundreds of billions of dollars—
and shows up on every street corner,”
said Ed
Davis, former police commissioner of the
City of Boston and a member of AGA’s
Illegal Gambling Advisory Board.
“We
need to look at the utility of a regulated,
transparent sports betting market. Let’s face
it, demand is only rising. Consumers would
rather do this in a regulated market that
provides consumer protections, integrity of the
game, and I would rather have certainty and
transparency. It’s easier to maintain public
safety in that type of environment.”