More than 40 million Americans play fantasy sports. They use their own money, they enjoy it, and their choice to play is a personal decision. It’s like deciding to buy a cup of coffee, except that it involves some skill and offers a chance to win some money.
But the Attorney General of New York has decided, without anything resembling due process or an understanding of how it is skill based, that New Yorkers shouldn’t be allowed to make that choice to play fantasy sports. He is trying to use the force of government to unilaterally regulate New Yorkers’ behavior, take away their freedom to have some fun — and in the process, close down businesses that are otherwise thriving.
This in a state that has been operating a lottery for almost 50 years. In fact, New York was one of the first states in the nation to establish government-sponsored gaming.
The Attorney General’s unwarranted attack on fantasy sports is classic government overreach. Government should protect freedom, not curtail it just because a politician wants to. When tens of millions of Americans want to engage in a fun, harmless activity, why is it any of the government’s business? There are plenty of laws on the books to protect citizens from fraud and abuse, if and when it occurs. Taking away the freedom of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers is just wrong.
I don’t know if you have any influence with fanduel.com, but they may to also wish to have a petition for people who don’t themselves play fantasy sports but do support other people’s right to do so. Then again that may be a trivially small number of people out of those who would visit their website.
Anyone interested in this issue should consider signing this petition:
https://www.fanduel.com/FantasyForAll
Great minds think alike, I suppose.
Wasn’t the individual that triggered the fantasy gaming backlash cleared just days after the faux controversy erupted?
Bravo, Governor, bravo.