[Editor’s note: FanDuel is an advertiser of PFT and PFT Live on NBC Sports Radio. Also, NBC Sports has an equity stake in FanDuel.]
It’s no surprise Nevada has taken steps to protect its gambling industry against daily fantasy sports. The only surprise is that it took Nevada so long to act.
In response to a directive from the Nevada Gaming Control Board that daily fantasy operators should “cease and desist” doing business in Nevada without the appropriate license to do so, both FanDuel and DraftKings have temporarily suspended operations in the state, according to ESPN.com.
“This decision stymies innovation and ignores the fact that fantasy sports is a skill-based entertainment product loved and played by millions of sports fans,” Justin Sacco, director of communications for FanDuel, said in a press release. “This decision deprives these fans of a product that has been embraced broadly by the sports community including professional sports teams, leagues and media partners.
“We are examining all options and will exhaust all efforts to bring the fun, challenge and excitement of fantasy sports back to our Nevada fans. In the interim, because we are committed to ensuring we are compliant in all jurisdictions, regrettably, we are forced to cease operations in Nevada.”
“We understand that the gaming industry is important to Nevada and, for that reason, they are taking this exclusionary approach against the increasingly popular fantasy sports industry,” said DraftKings in a press release. “We strongly disagree with this decision and will work diligently to ensure Nevadans have the right to participate in what we strongly believe is legal entertainment that millions of Americans enjoy.”
And so Nevada becomes the latest battleground for an industry that has come under siege almost as quickly as it has risen to national prominence. Fortunately for the likes of FanDuel and DraftKings, they have the resources to defend themselves.
