Mississippi House passed daily fantasy sports bill

Mississippi governor Phil Bryant has a daily fantasy sports legalisation bill on his desk today following the passage of H967 through the state House Wednesday and its earlier approval by the state Senate.

The bill makes permanent a one-year “trial” bill passed last year and due to expire on July 1 2017.

Observers report that the content of the new bill is much the same, and explicitly legalises fantasy contests with an entry fee, with control and oversight by the Mississippi Gaming Commission. Licenses are issued for three years and cost $5,000, and operators face a tax rate on GGR of 8 percent annually.

There are strong responsible gaming and consumer protection provisions, including those to protect players against DFS employee participation, and clauses relating to security of contest data and segregation of player funds from operational funds.

The fees and taxes are new additions that were not imposed under the old law, which simply required operators to register with the Commission.

The new law sets a minimum age of 18 years for player participation.

Almost half of the US states now have active measures relating to fantasy sports.