Close vote sees Alabama's House pass daily fantasy sports bill

ama has moved a step closer to introducing a regulated fantasy sports market after legislation was approved by the state’s House of Representatives.

The state legislature is currently reviewing three separate bills, and if one passes, it would make Alabama the 13th state in the US to legalise DFS.

The state House passed a bill that would legalise and regulate paid-entry fantasy sports in the state. However, it was a close call, with representatives approving the bill, 43-38 and the bill has yet to be considered by the Senate.

Given the close vote in the House, it’s difficult to predict what the outcome will be.

Daily fantasy sports operators have put a hold on offering their services after the State Attorney General asked operators to remove services last year. Although there was an effort to legalise DFS in 2016, this came to no avail.

However, if the bill gets the seal of approval by the Senate then regulated fantasy sports competitions in Alabama would allow the state to tax a piece of the operator’s profits.

Senate Minority Leader Quinton Ross comments: “The worldwide web is just open to everyone; I mean, you can be in Las Vegas and sitting right here in Montgomery, Alabama. I think it’s necessary to provide this extra layer of protection to those individuals who play fantasy football.”