3 ms·

It will be interesting to see how online poker dovetails with the big up-and-coming daily fantasy sports (DFS) industry. DFS is essentially online gambling on f

by swanson 12y ago

It will be interesting to see how online poker dovetails with the big up-and-coming daily fantasy sports (DFS) industry. DFS is essentially online gambling on fantasy sports, but it has been classified as a "game of skill" and is exempt from the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). Disney (owner of ESPN) just this month invested $250M in one of the two industry leaders (DraftKings) so I don't think DFS is going away. If online poker could get enough groundswell (and, lets be honest, political backing) to receive a similar exemption, that opens to doors for a return of legalized online poker in the US.

exelius 12y ago
I've had my own questions about "DFS". I really don't understand how it's a game of skill, or how it's significantly different than Vegas-style sports book betting. I've been in too many office fantasy football pools only to end up in second place behind the 19 year old intern who drafted her players based on how attractive they were and didn't touch her roster all season. Every week is a toss-up. Furthermore, I'm equally doubtful that the NFL and the NFLPA are ok with companies making billions in profit off of the NFL's games and individual players' performances. I think that if anything kills DFS, it will be this. Sports leagues can't be associated with gambling in any way, but the teams and players involved also have to protect their brands.
- swanson 12y ago
  It's a game of skill much in the same way as poker. Experienced players will beat inexperienced players over the long-run. There are certain elements of randomness/luck (as with poker, sometimes you just get bad cards) - but DFS proponents would argue that identifying under-valued players and predicting performance to be a skill. Surprisingly, the NBA and MLB have an official DFS partnership - as do individual teams in both the NFL and NHL. Some individual players also have "endorsed" certain sites. Full list of DFS partnerships: http://www.legalsportsreport.com/dfs-sponsorship-tracker/ http://www.legalsportsreport.com/dfs-sponsorship-tracker/
- chrismcb 12y ago
  It is fairly well accepted that fantasy leagues has increased the nfl fan base. I think nfl is just fine with fantasy other than maybe they also want a piece of the pie. Over the next decade expect the major sports to be more involved with betting, whether it is pure betting or indirectly thru a fantasy league
curun1r 12y ago
The reason online poker isn't classified as a game of skill has nothing to do with the game and everything to do with the monied interests in Nevada and Atlantic City. If we start to see the DFS industry affecting in-casino sports gambling, you can expect it to receive similar treatment by the law. $250M might seem like a lot of money, but consider that Sheldon Adelson spent, by most estimates, upwards of $150M in campaign contributions in 2012 alone. The total spend on political influence by the gaming industry is likely to be at least an order of magnitude higher.
- exelius 12y ago
  Yeah, but by all accounts physical gaming in traditional locales is shrinking rather rapidly. Atlantic City lost many of its major casinos to bankruptcy last year, with more to follow this year. Nevada is in slightly better shape, but Las Vegas is transitioning into more of a family-friendly resort town as there is simply a lot more competition for gaming dollars from places like Macau, regional Native American casinos, and cities across the US granting gambling licenses to a limited number of urban casinos.

by swanson 12y ago

exelius 12y ago

I've had my own questions about "DFS". I really don't understand how it's a game of skill, or how it's significantly different than Vegas-style sports book betting. I've been in too many office fantasy football pools only to end up in second place behind the 19 year old intern who drafted her players based on how attractive they were and didn't touch her roster all season. Every week is a toss-up. Furthermore, I'm equally doubtful that the NFL and the NFLPA are ok with companies making billions in profit off of the NFL's games and individual players' performances. I think that if anything kills DFS, it will be this. Sports leagues can't be associated with gambling in any way, but the teams and players involved also have to protect their brands.

swanson 12y ago
It's a game of skill much in the same way as poker. Experienced players will beat inexperienced players over the long-run. There are certain elements of randomness/luck (as with poker, sometimes you just get bad cards) - but DFS proponents would argue that identifying under-valued players and predicting performance to be a skill. Surprisingly, the NBA and MLB have an official DFS partnership - as do individual teams in both the NFL and NHL. Some individual players also have "endorsed" certain sites. Full list of DFS partnerships: http://www.legalsportsreport.com/dfs-sponsorship-tracker/ http://www.legalsportsreport.com/dfs-sponsorship-tracker/
chrismcb 12y ago
It is fairly well accepted that fantasy leagues has increased the nfl fan base. I think nfl is just fine with fantasy other than maybe they also want a piece of the pie. Over the next decade expect the major sports to be more involved with betting, whether it is pure betting or indirectly thru a fantasy league

curun1r 12y ago

The reason online poker isn't classified as a game of skill has nothing to do with the game and everything to do with the monied interests in Nevada and Atlantic City. If we start to see the DFS industry affecting in-casino sports gambling, you can expect it to receive similar treatment by the law. $250M might seem like a lot of money, but consider that Sheldon Adelson spent, by most estimates, upwards of $150M in campaign contributions in 2012 alone. The total spend on political influence by the gaming industry is likely to be at least an order of magnitude higher.

exelius 12y ago
Yeah, but by all accounts physical gaming in traditional locales is shrinking rather rapidly. Atlantic City lost many of its major casinos to bankruptcy last year, with more to follow this year. Nevada is in slightly better shape, but Las Vegas is transitioning into more of a family-friendly resort town as there is simply a lot more competition for gaming dollars from places like Macau, regional Native American casinos, and cities across the US granting gambling licenses to a limited number of urban casinos.