Tennessee AG declares DFS illegal

What looked to be positive movement for daily fantasy sports in Tennessee, after House Bill 2109 was approved by state senators and progressed to the State House last week (see previous report), has been dealt a crushing blow with the State Tennessee Attorney General declaring the pastime illegal.

The sweeping legal opinion published by Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III declares fantasy sports illegal under Tennessee law in absence of specific legislation that exempts it.

It’s a confusing turn of events as State Senator Jack Johnson, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, told reporters just last week that he and other proponents of the bill have been working with Slatery to first establish and declare that fantasy sports involves strong elements of skill and therefore is not gambling in terms of state law.

The full opinion can be accessed here: http://attorneygeneral.tn.gov/op/2016/op16-13.pdf

Related and similar