Mississippi temporarily legalises daily fantasy sports

Mississippi has become the latest state in the US to legalise daily fantasy sports (DFS) by passing a bill that will regulate such activities until at least July of next year.

Signed into law last week by Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, Senate Bill 2541 will legalise DFS contests until July 2017, when the state will then reconsider the move.

Effective from July 1, the new bill prohibits DFS operators and their immediate families in Mississippi from playing in fantasy sport contests.

Players must be at least 18 and will have the option to exclude themselves from contests at any time, while DFS brands will be required to segregate operating funds from player funds.

The bill will also enable the state to create a task force that will deliver a series of recommendations on regulations and related fees to Governor Bryant by October 15 of this year.

Confirmation of the bill comes after DFS market leaders DraftKings and FanDuel withdrew from the state in February after Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood stated that DFS constituted illegal gambling.

However, both operators have now spoken out in support of the bill, praising the state over its decision.

According to the Watchdog.org website, Fan Duel spokesperson Emily Bass said the bill took a “deliberate and reasonable approach to legislating fantasy sports”, while DraftKings spokesman Tim Sullivan added that the company will “work with legislators in Jackson to establish a framework to allow hundreds of thousands of Mississippians to continue to play the fantasy sports contests they love”.

Related article: Mississippi AG latest to declare fantasy sports illegal