It seems that the Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) legislation in the state of Ohio and Vermont has made a step forward these days. Two bills related to the DFS legality, regulation and tax regime in the above-mentioned states have moved closer to officially becoming laws.
As Casino Guardian has already reported on previous occasions, daily fantasy sports have recently been one of the hottest topics in the US. With lobbyist working in a number of states, the efforts that some gambling operators have made towards clarifying the actual legal status of DFS across the country have had some success in some states.
As a matter of fact, two of the largest DFS operators – FanDuel and DraftKings – have operated in the states of Ohio and Vermont. However, this have been possible due to the unclear legal status of the DFS legislation in these states. Now, the proposed DFS bills are aimed at making things straight and of course, take care of the DFS regulation and tax issues, as well as provide better transparency and customer protection.
Ohio DFS Bill
Currently, Ohio law bans all games that are classified as games of chance. Still, neither the state’s administrative, nor its prosecutorial body have taken any legal actions against the daily fantasy sports websites. However, the House Bill 132 was introduced earlier this year by State Representatives Jonathan Dever, R-Cincinnati and Robert McColley, R-Napoleon. The bill is seeking to officially declare DFS legal within the state.
At present times, the proposed DFS bill in Ohio needs to first be considered by the House Committee before moving forward to becoming law.
Under the proposed bill, the Ohio Casino Control Commission would be entitled with the responsibility to take care of the DFS industry regulation. Also, the proposed piece of legislation gives further details about the DFS activities on the territory of the state. Under its provisions, the DFS website operators are required to hold an operating license and to pay an initial fee estimated to $30,000.
Vermont DFS Bill
When it comes to the state of Vermont, in 2016 the local Attorney General’s Office issued an official opinion that DFS contents violate state law. Still, no actions against the local daily fantasy sports website operators have been taken. The proposed piece of legislation – S.136 needs the approval of Governor Phil Scott in order to make a step forward and actually become law. However, there has not been an official opinion whether or not Governor Scott intends to sign the bill.
Proposed S.136 is mainly focused on DFS websites regulation, creating a legal framework for the main issues regarding DFS legislation, including registration fee and taxation. However, the proposed bill does not provide further details about licensing procedures, and does not clearly state the taxation amount and does not implement details about tax procedures, too.
- Author
Daniel Williams
