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This article will explore the legality of daily fantasy sports platforms. We’ll also discuss the federal and state legislation regarding DFS and show you how to tell if a site is legal. We’ve also included a rundown of popular sites to play at in the US.
In a nutshell, playing daily fantasy sports is legal in the United States. However, to understand the nature of the legality, we’ll explore the federal and state legislation on DFS.
With the enactment of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006, fantasy sports was exempted from gambling. According to the law, fantasy sports is a game of skill.
Since fantasy sports is a game of skill, it’s legal across the US. However, for DFS apps to become legally operational, they’ll need to adhere to the Fantasy Sports Contests Act policies.
For context, here are policies guiding daily fantasy sports in the US:
While daily fantasy sports is largely legal in the US following the Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, some US states still restrict DFS. Note that each state has distinct laws that fantasy sports sites must meet before being operational in that jurisdiction.
Also, a DFS format can be available in one state and not accessible in another. For instance, you can play Dabble pick’em in only 20 states while the site’s social feature is available in all US states.
To know if a daily fantasy sports site is available in your location, check the website or contact customer support. You can also keep an eye on our website for the latest news on daily fantasy sports legal states.
So, where is DFS legal? Well, it’s legal in almost all US states except for the locations in the table below:
| State | DFS legality |
|---|---|
| Washington | ❌️ |
| Hawaii | ❌️ |
| Nevada | ❌️ |
| Idaho | ❌️ |
| Montana | ❌️ |
Here are the pros and cons of playing in the US:
Daily fantasy sports games come in different types. Let’s examine the most popular games in the US below:
You’ll find various daily fantasy sports sites offering GPP tournaments in the US. This game involves playing for a guaranteed prize pool rather than betting on player performance. With player performance prediction, the winning is usually low. However, in GPP, there’s a possibility of winning a higher prize. Guaranteed Prize Pool is popular amongst new players who don’t want to waste time or money.
In tournament games, you can enter a tournament and compete against other players for a huge prize pool. The prizes are usually from companies who donate for these games.
If you’re a seasoned player, you’ll know that cash games are the most popular on DFS sites. This game type offers the biggest payouts. Also, it’s perfect for both high and low rollers, as you can get in with as little as $1.
Head to Head games are where you compete with a single opponent for a set of buy-in. The player with the highest scoring team wins the cash prize.
The first thing we’ll point out here is that 50/50 and Double Ups are literally the same type of daily fantasy game. Also, most people often refer to 50/50 and Head to Head games as cash games.
That said, 50/50 is essentially a larger field version of the Head to Head game. Double Ups games usually contain from 10 to thousands of entrants on the field. Players who finish in the top of the 50/50 share the cash prize equally in half, with the players nearly doubling their entry fee, hence the name.
Note that the winners don’t get exactly their buy-in in this game.
Multipliers are similar to 50/50. You can even find some daily fantasy sports sites offering similar large field Double Up multipliers. However, the difference between the 50/50 and large field Double Up multipliers is that rather than half the field winning the prize pool and forfeiting a rake, the DFS site will pay a little less than half the field. That way, the house will get their rake and the winners will get exactly double their buy-in.
Besides the Double Up multipliers, you’ll also find other forms of multipliers, including the Triple Up. Here, less than one-third of the field wins the cash prize, but the winners’ entry fees are tripled.
Qualifiers, Steps, and Satellites all work in the same way. These are tournaments where DFS players attempt to win one or multiple vouchers to get into more expensive tournaments. These game types are ideal for low rollers interested in joining higher tournaments.
Leagues are similar to Guaranteed Prize Pool (GPP). Basically, they’re smaller tournament-style games with a prize structure that’s in tiers, much like what you’ll find with GPP games. Most leagues usually pay out 10-30% of contestants.
To help you make the right choice and select a site offering the best daily fantasy sports game, here are ways to know if a site is legal:
The first thing to check for is a license. While the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 ensured daily fantasy sports is legal in the US, sites are still subject to state legislation and require a license to operate.
It’s one thing for a site to display a license number and another for the license to be valid. To confirm that the platform is allowed to operate in your state, check the license validity. Ensure the name appears in the list of licensed sites on the issuer’s website.
We also recommend utilizing Google to do your due diligence. Ensure your preferred site hasn’t been involved in a scam or gone bankrupt.
After the enactment of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006, daily fantasy sports became largely legal across the US. However, it’s still subject to state legislation. Also, some US states don’t allow DFS site operation. Notable mentions include Idaho, Washington, Hawaii, Nevada, and Montana.
Before signing up at a daily fantasy sports site, ensure they’re available in your state, as some platforms haven’t acquired relevant licenses to operate in some legal states. Furthermore, some daily fantasy sports sites offer various formats to different states.
The best platform depends on individual preferences. However, there are popular reputable options like ParlayPlay, OwnersBox, Dabble, Underdog, and Sleeper to choose from.
Daily fantasy sports are legal in almost all US states. But, some states still don’t allow it. Therefore, before signing up at a site, check if it’s available in your location.
While it’s legal in many US states, states like Washington have legislation that doesn’t allow DFS operations.
Most new players often confuse daily fantasy sports for sports betting. However, they’re not the same. Sports betting relies on luck while daily fantasy sports depend on skills.
While it is largely legal across most states in the US, some states still don’t allow it.
