FanDuel is the biggest Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) operator in the United States and along with DraftKings control the majority of the market. The DFS industry came under the scrutiny of a number of states during the last quarter of 2015 as state legislators opposed the fact that DFS industry can operate without regulations as the games were not based on luck.
Both FanDuel and DraftKings have promoted DFS games as being games of skills and hence these DFS websites have been operating without a license or regulation. Nevada recently banned both websites from operating ruling that DFS games were similar to casino games and must be regulated. New York has also followed suit by requesting for FanDuel and DraftKings to shutdown their websites and a number of other states are also contemplating banning DFS websites from operating.
While other states take steps to ban and legalize the DFS Industry, Indiana lawmakers are doing just the opposite by opening their doors to FanDuel and asking the company to re-locate its headquarters from New York and move over to Indiana. Rep. Alan Morrison and Sen. Jon Ford, two Hoosier lawmakers are encouraging FanDuel to move over to a state that will appreciate and welcome their business instead of being based in New York.
Rep Morrison stated that he has reached out to senior management of FanDuel to inform them that the state of Indiana welcomes them and that he has put together House Bill 1074 which will permit DFS websites to operate at Indiana racinos. FanDuel is yet to confirm if it will accept the offer to re-locate to Indiana but thanked stated legislators for offering them a safe haven to offer DFS games.
In a statement, Morrison said
We want to ensure that Hoosiers throughout the state who enjoy this popular activity can continue to do so. These sites give Hoosiers the ability to compete in one-day events and not worry about keeping up with a season-long league. It is our goal this session to let the daily fantasy sports world know that it is welcome in Indiana.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has been one of the biggest opponents of the DFS industry in New York and decided to file an amended lawsuit on New Year’s eve which wanted DFS websites to refund all the money that they have from operating in New York.
