DFS illegal in Canada, says Gaming Association
The Canadian Gaming Association plans to pass on the findings of its investigation to the province's attorney general
The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) has obtained a legal opinion that claims daily fantasy sports is illegal under the Criminal Code of Canada.
The CGA commissioned Don Bourgeois, former general counsel for the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, to examine the legal status of DFS, according to reports in TSN.
The Association plans to share the report with the province’s attorney general in the coming days, and may also contact local police about its findings.
The news comes after New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman ruled that DraftKings and FanDuel were conducting illegal gambling, and ordered them to stop offering contests to players in the state.
DraftKings and FanDuel have vowed to fight the ruling in court, and will likely stay active in the state for the foreseeable future while the legal and political wranglings rumble on.
The CGA’s ruling doesn’t pack the same punch as Schneiderman’s and will not force DFS operators out of the Canadian market at this stage.
The news comes as a growing number of states examine the legal status of daily fantasy sports following the recent DraftKings data leak scandal and accusations of insider training.
However, in Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker last night said he believes that DraftKings’ contests do not amount to gambling and should be legal in the state.
Other states such as New Jersey, Illinois and Pennsylvania also appear to be taking a softer approach to DFS, and instead of banning the activity are looking at establishing “light” regulations.
DraftKings and FanDuel are both planning to bring their sites to the UK, with DraftKings slated to launch by the end of the year while FanDuel has applied for a UK gambling licence and expects to go live sometime next year.