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70

// PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL // July/August 2016

might unlock some votes in the House,

where the bills seem to face stronger op-

position. Casino operators have also spoken

out against bills that authorize Fantasy

Sports betting without the operators sub-

mitting to the same rigorous vetting process

that casinos are subjected to.

Quebec Moves

to Block Online Access

to Illegal Unlicensed

i-Gaming Operators

Provincial i-gaming website

Espacejeux is operated by Loto-Quebec,

the authorized operator of online gaming

in Quebec. Lawmakers are taking action

to prevent illegal online gaming requiring

Internet service providers (ISPs) to block

consumer access to all major gambling sites

except Espacejeux.

Michigan Lottery Inter-

net Lottery Sales have

Mushroomed along with

the Number of Players

Using their Smartphones

and Personal Computers to Play

At the outset there were about 86,000

players who registered with the state

for the Internet games. The number of

players has grown by over 300% to about

322,000 players. The increased Internet

betters have pumped $147 million ad-

ditional dollars into state coffers with $14

million of that going to Michigan schools.

And the Lottery Bureau is predicting

those numbers will increase over the next

eight years to an additional $480 million.

Rep. Andy Schor says

“If they’re going to

play anyway, we should probably regulate it

and we should probably grab some tax dol-

lars off of it. I think that people can gamble

if they want to gamble.”

Nevada Gambling Regulators Approve

New Fantasy Sports Model

The New Fantasy Sports gambling plat-

form approved by Nevada regulators will

further blur the lines between traditional

sports betting and fantasy sports contests,

an industry that insists its games are not

gambling in the face of legal challenges

across the country. Several states over

the past year have challenged the fantasy

sports industry, which first drew wide-

spread scrutiny last year amid a flurry

of advertising that promised the savviest

sports fans millions of dollars in payouts.

The industry has lobbied states to approve

laws that would allow them to operate

without legal ambiguity.

Not much Accomplished

at Fantasy Sports Inaugural

Congressional Hearing

The major DFS operators and sports

leagues refused to participate. The informa-

tional hearing, no legislation has been in-

troduced, was largely void of the fireworks

and theatrics some had expected. Rep.

Pallone still took the opportunity to blast

FanDuel and DraftKings as hypocrites.

He asked how the two operators, which

comprise 95 percent of the DFS market,

could maintain their stance that daily

fantasy sports is distinguishably different

than prohibited forms of sports gambling,

even as they apply for gambling licenses in

the United Kingdom.

“What is DraftKings’

rationale for getting a gambling license in

the U.K. if they say daily fantasy sports is not

gambling? How do they justify this?”

The United States Conference of

Mayors (USCM) Approves a Resolution

that Backs Sports Betting

The USCM represents 1,407 US cities that

have a population of at least 30,000 people.

“The American Gaming Association esti-

mates that in 2015 alone, Americans placed

nearly $149 billion in illegal sports bets,”

the resolution states.

“Current law is out of

step with public attitudes, as the vast major-

ity of football fans, 65 percent, say legal,

regulated betting will protect the integrity of

the games or have no impact on outcomes.”

In conclusion, the USCM said,

“The

United States Conference of Mayors and the

nation’s Mayors, believe it’s time for a new

approach to sports betting in the United

States that could include strict regulation,

rigorous consumer protections, taxation of

revenues to benefit local communities, and

robust tools and resources for law enforce-

ment to root out illegal sports betting.”

The American Gaming Association’s

(AGA) Convenes Law Enforcement

Leaders to Critique Federal

Prohibition on Sports Betting

More than 30 law enforcement leaders

from across the country gathered at the

American Gaming Association’s (AGA)

first-ever Law Enforcement Summit.

“The

illegal sports betting market is a growing

problem and no group is more credible in

carrying that message and identifying a

solution than members of law enforcement,”

said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO

of the AGA.

“This Summit highlighted that

the illegal sports betting market funds large

criminal enterprises and fails to protect the

integrity of the sports we all love. It’s time

for a modernized approach that will support

law enforcement around the country.”

Based on input from the Summit, the

AGA’s Illegal Gambling Advisory Board

will author an after-action report that will

serve as a guide for stakeholders—includ-

ing policymakers, regulators and sports

leagues—to develop potential solutions.

“The reality is that illegal sports betting is a

growing and dangerous problem; the scope is

massive—hundreds of billions of dollars—

and shows up on every street corner,”

said Ed

Davis, former police commissioner of the

City of Boston and a member of AGA’s

Illegal Gambling Advisory Board.

“We

need to look at the utility of a regulated,

transparent sports betting market. Let’s face

it, demand is only rising. Consumers would

rather do this in a regulated market that

provides consumer protections, integrity of the

game, and I would rather have certainty and

transparency. It’s easier to maintain public

safety in that type of environment.”