Fate Of Fantasy Sports Bill Now In Governor Edwards Hands
Does anybody know if Governor John Bel Edwards plays fantasy sports? Having that nugget of knowledge could give you the inside track as to whether or not his excellence is going to sign recently passed legislation regarding fantasy sports.
The House and Senate have passed legislation that would allow fantasy sports players in Louisiana to lose money legally along with much of the rest of the country on third-party fantasy sites like FanDuel and DraftKings.
Just to be clear, the Governor's signature would only put the measure in the hands of the people in the November 6th election. The bill would allow each parish to decide whether or not such activity is in keeping with the standards of their community.
Opponents of the legislation consider fantasy sports to be a close relative of gambling. Those in favor of it see the activity as harmless fun that requires skill and knowledge to be successful. That skill and knowledge part is what separates fantasy sports play from gambling, allegedly.
Now assuming voters in your parish approve the legislation after we have already made the assumption that Governor Edwards is going to sign this measure. Don't get your smartphone and your credit card out just yet. The legislature will have to figure out a way to make money off of this deal before they will allow you to send all of your money out of state.
In other words, keep playing your fantasy leagues at work, at home, at church, and at nursing homes. It's going to be a while before any fantasies are allowed to come true. On second thought, scratch the nursing homes from the list, the legislature might have already kicked you out before this becomes legal.