Optimism in New York DFS legislation

With a legislative deadline of June 16 looming, New York Senator and chair of the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, John Bonacic triggered new hopes for the legalisation of daily fantasy sports Tuesday by suggesting that a deal between Assembly and Senate law makers was imminent and would expedite the passage of the relevant bill.

Speaking to the publication Buffalo News, Bonacic said the deal involved compromise legislation that would define DFS as a game of skill, ensuring that it escaped the state’s definition of gambling and by implication short-circuiting the state AG’s threats to take action against the vertical (see previous reports).

Bonacic said the deal would see the bill amended to include a licensing fee for operators of $150,000 or 1.5 percent of the prior year revenue, and would include provisions to ensure that smaller operators were not priced out of the market.

However, all operators would be subject to a 15 percent tax on GGR accrued from New York players.

The compromise does not appear to include the demand from the state’s existing land gambling companies that DFS licences be confined to existing racinos in the state, or to companies that have established partnerships with such companies…that could result in continued opposition from that quarter.

There also appear to be some reservations from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office, judging by Bonacic’s revelation that the governor is seeking what he referred to as “technical amendments” to the compromise bill, although the Senator insists that the governor is in general on board and prepared to sign.

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