Daily fantasy sports bill filed in Wisconsin

Wisconsin state Representative Tyler Vorpagel made good on his promise to try for the intrastate registration of daily fantasy sports Monday when he introduced an Assembly bill that proposes that anyone who offers fantasy games for a cash prize to more than 750 people must register with the state Department of Financial Institutions and pay a fee of $150,000, with annual renewals of $30,000.

However, the bill stops short of regulatory provisions, instead declaring that fantasy sports games are not betting or lotteries, and allowing operators to run them legally in the state.

Current Wisconsin law prohibits making a bet, conducting a lottery or engaging in other gambling activities.

Vorpagel argues that the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act passed in 2006 generally outlaws online gambling, but has a carve-out for fantasy sports games as contests of skill, and in any case defers to state law.

“I think it’s important to clarify that these games of skill are allowed and not viewed as gambling,” Vorpagel wrote in a memo seeking political support for his bill.

Despite a contrary ruling by the Illinois state Attorney General, a similar bill to Vorpagel’s was launched by Rep. Mike Zalewski in Illinois earlier this year (see previous report).

Time is a factor in whether Vorpagel’s bill will survive; fellow lawmakers have submitted a number of bills for consideration by various committees as the current Legislative season winds down and lawmakers prepare for elections.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says he wants the Assembly to complete its work by the end of February, and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has targeted early March.

Latest news to hand is that a preliminary public hearing on Vorpagel’s bill has been scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday).