Jim Rosica
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam on Wednesday said he won’t object if lawmakers approve a bill putting him in charge of regulating fantasy sports play in the state.
Putnam spoke to reporters during an informal “pen and pad” question-and-answer session in advance of the 2016 Legislative Session that starts Jan. 12.
State Sen. Joe Negron of Stuart and state Rep. Matt Gaetz of Fort Walton Beach, both Republicans, already have filed legislation that would legalize and regulate daily fantasy sports websites, including DraftKings and FanDuel.
The measures would require the sites to register with Putnam’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, pay fees, submit to audits and provide for age verification of players, among other provisions.
“It’s not without some precedent,” Putnam said, mentioning that his department already regulates sweepstakes and other “game promotions.”
“This Legislature along with many other states are going to have to make a policy call on how they proceed with fantasy sports,” he said. “Whether to allow them with some regulation, whether to prohibit them entirely, or some kind of hybrid” approach.
Now, only Montana “explicitly prohibits fantasy sports if played over the Internet,” according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. “Fantasy games are considered to be illegal in Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana and Washington (and) lawmakers in Indiana, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania have introduced legislation to allow casinos or lotteries to offer daily fantasy games.”
“I haven’t taken a position on the bill,” Putnam said. “I’m trying to learn an awful lot about DraftKings and FanDuel … I’ve been asking, ‘how is this different from the normal fantasy leagues that have been going on for years in a pretty harmless way?’ “
The difference is that fantasy sports play is now a multi-billion-dollar business, attracting nearly 57 million people a year in North America alone who pony up close to $500 each to play.
Moreover, fantasy websites are now attracting hundreds of millions in venture capital and other investors, including professional sports leagues.
“I’m still in learning mode as to the substance of it, but if they ask us to do it, we’ll do the best job we can,” Putnam said.
