Posted on 07/11/2016 9:18:22 AM PDT by Kaslin
The federal government has begun nosing around in daily fantasy sports (DFS). Last year, Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, launched an investigation as to whether DFS violates federal law. This May, the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade held a hearing to “consider whether there is a federal role to play” in regulating the industry.
Subcommittee Chair Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas) expressed concern that, “[a] patchwork of differing and contradictory policies by the states could have negative consequences for consumers, as well as further growth and innovation.”
The feds should stand down. As the Taxpayers Protection Alliance has argued before, states have traditionally and rightfully controlled gaming policy within their borders. Federal action in this regard would erode state sovereignty and impede states’ ability to regulate and approve gaming as they see fit.
It’s not altogether clear where the states will fall.
Recently, the New York legislature passed a measure that permits daily fantasy sports companies to do business in the Empire State. The measure was the result of a contentious battle precipitated by legal action from New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and riddled with accusations of lobbying impropriety.
The chips fell differently in Illinois. There, the state legislature appeared close to approving DFS before a scandal broke out that caused the Illinois House to reconsider. State Rep. Rita Mayfiled accused a FanDuel lobbyist of offering the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus campaign donations in exchange for votes, a violation of the law. Rep. Mayfield was initially a co-sponsor of the bill in question. As a result, Illinois tabled the bill. Without a 60 percent super-majority, the bill will not receive consideration until January, when the legislature is back in regular session.
Apart from the histrionics, at issue in these and other state legislative debates is the question of whether the product offered by companies like FanDuel and DraftKings is actually a form of gambling. Proponents of DFS argue that rather than gambling, what they offer is skill-based gaming. This point of view advances their cause because it allows them to operate outside existing state laws and regulations that govern gambling.
Opponents say DFS is indeed gambling and the fact there is some skill involved is irrelevant. After all, they argue, poker and other games involve some level of skill and yet are regulated by the states. “Gambling can be defined as ‘placing something of value to be won or lost on an event of uncertain outcome in the hopes of winning something greater.’ Upon deeper exploration, daily fantasy sports clearly meets this definition of gambling,”says Timothy Fong, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA and co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program.
States have generally identified three factors in their definitions of gambling: consideration (a bet), chance and prize. This is how states identify “wagering:” Risking money for gain, contingent upon chance or the operation of a gaming device.
Policymakers deserve enough time to examine the impact DFS is having on their state without federal intrusion or confusion.
Of course it’s gambling....because it is at it’s very root a game of chance determined by the outcome of another activity not directly under the control of the bettor. There is a certain skill in it, but in the end, it’s still a game of chance.
The very fact that the government is even considering whether or not it has a right to care about people playing a game and whether or not they should regulate or tax it is proof the government needs to be put back in its place by whatever means necessary. How totalitarian can you get?!
It is less obtrusive than our indoctrination system; the mind control of our children and the control of our health system, virtually creating death panels and the power to kill certain segments of society.
All these trivial things are symptoms of the MAJOR evil (unconstitutional) “laws” that are allowed to exist by our evil vile, treasonous SCOTUS majority-—who allow baby-killing and sodomy to be “Natural Rights from God”. They are flipping 2000 years of Ethics for a Vice System of total control. (Vice creates slaves.)
The State should NOT have any say into our local commuities with trivial, controlling statutes of any kind. It is unconstitutional.
This controlling of the Minds (worldview) of children is destroying us...literally-—creating the dumbest, most ignorant, irrational generation (and most drugged) in the history of our country. They are so dumb and insane, they are unable to even know if they are a boy or girl now, so they are willing to drug and mutilate themselves so they are incapable of reproducing, and become a huge financial burden to society.
We will NOT survive, if the Wisdom of the Founders is NOT transmitted to our children, and it won’t because it is BANNED, as is all Classical Christian curricula from the public skools and public squares. The ideas and ethic system which is embedded in our Justice system and Rule of Law and Constitution is BANNED.
The people running our government no longer can think critically and now everything is being “legislated” (for the “good” of the masses). They are useful idiots in govt. now....literally controlled by the psychopathic elites who want total control of everything. The total transformation of our Constitution into a Marxist system is almost complete-—and our children will be only slaves. There will be no alternative except suicide unless we take back the education of our children from the “group-think” and MSM artificial control of all emotions and desires (satanism).
What you wrote describes the stock market too, does it not?
Your points are spot on!
I was just looking at it from the point of view of totalitarianism, which people very close to me think could never happen here in the USA. But the government regulating and taxing something so trivial as fantasy baseball is proof of totalitarianism gone wild. It is the very definition of totalitarianism. The government in control of everything.
What 'confusion'??
It's gambling all right!
Of COURSE it’s gambling.....but it’s way more fun and lucrative than the state lottery, so it has to go. Fascists don’t do competition well.
Oh yes...the stock market is exactly that...gambling.
The main difference though is that the stock market you are betting on a team to improve over time, rather than an all at once win or lose.
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