FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS ADVISORY
April 5, 2016
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
ATTORNEY GENERAL DETERMINES PAID DAILY FANTASY SPORTS
CONTESTS ARE ILLEGAL GAMBLING
Cease and Desist Letters Sent to DraftKings and FanDuel
(MONTGOMERY) – Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange today announced that
he has issued cease and desist letters to DraftKings and FanDuel after reviewing
Alabama’s gambling statutes and determining that paid daily fantasy sports contests
constitute illegal gambling. DraftKings and FanDuel have until May 1, 2016, to cease
offering paid daily fantasy sports contests in Alabama.
“As Attorney General, it is my duty to uphold Alabama law, including the laws against
illegal gambling,” Attorney General Strange said. “Daily fantasy sports operators claim
that they operate legally under Alabama law. However, paid daily fantasy sports
contests are in fact illegal gambling under Alabama law.”
In Alabama, an activity constitutes illegal gambling if a person stakes something of
value on a contest of chance, even when skill is involved, in order to win a prize.
In paid daily fantasy sports contests, players create a “fantasy roster” of real-life
athletes. Each athlete is awarded points based on his or her performance, and the
“owners” of the teams with the highest scoring rosters win cash prizes.
There is, of course, a measure of skill involved in creating a fantasy roster. But in the
end, contestants have no control over the performance of the players on their rosters.
For example, a player could fall ill before a game, be injured in pre-game warm-ups, or
miss a large portion of the game due to injury or equipment failure. All of these factors,
and many more, are outside the control of a fantasy sports player. Thus, the results of
paid daily fantasy sports contests depend to a large degree on chance. This is the very
definition of gambling under Alabama law.
Alabama now joins 11 other states in which paid daily fantasy sports contests have been
declared illegal.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.alabama.gov
