Texas Declares Daily Fantasy Sports Illegal

Tuesday January 19,2016 : TEXAS AG DECLARES DFS ILLEGAL (Update)

If the house takes a cut, its unlawful.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has published his opinion on the legality of daily fantasy sports under Texan State Law saying as a general rule traditional fantasy sports remain lawful, however daily fantasy sports, where the “house takes a cut”, is not.

“Paid daily ‘fantasy sports’ operators claim they can legally operate as an unregulated house, but none of their arguments square with existing Texas law,” Paxton opined. “Simply put, it is prohibited gambling in Texas if you bet on the performance of a participant in a sporting event and the house takes a cut.”

Paxton’s decision deals yet another blow to the beleaguered U.S. daily fantasy sports industry.

A full copy of the opinion can be read at: http://media.oag.state.tx.us/mediaroom/2016/pdf/kp0057.pdf