‘Vote no’: FanDuel comes out in opposition to gambling amendment

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Saying it will “make it impossible to bring sports betting to Florida,” FanDuel is telling Florida voters to vote down a proposed ‘voter control of gambling’ constitutional amendment.

The amendment’s main backer, however, says the national fantasy sports website has got it all wrong. It won’t be impossible, he said: It’ll just require a vote.

In a Thursday email shared with Florida Politics, FanDuel said “Amendment 3 was written to try to deceive you … It pretends to give voters more power, but the reality is it … makes it more difficult to protect your right to play fantasy sports.”

Moreover, the ballot measure “would stop any chance of bringing sports betting to Florida dead in its tracks.”

It goes on: “Sports fans like you are now able to legally place bets using the FanDuel app in New Jersey, and at locations in West Virginia, Delaware, and Mississippi, with more states coming on soon. And fans LOVE it.

“But if Amendment 3 passes, the Legislature will no longer have the power to authorize sports betting in Florida. Our opponents will also use Amendment 3 to make it more difficult to protect your right to play fantasy sports.

“Preserve the opportunity to have legal, engaging, and exciting sports betting in Florida. Please vote NO on Amendment 3.”

The amendment, backed by Disney and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, aims at limiting gambling’s expansion in the state. The amendment would “ensure that Florida voters shall have the exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling,” the ballot summary says.

But it “does not prohibit sports gambling,” said John Sowinski, chairman of Voters in Charge, the political committee behind the initiative.

“What it does do is gives the final say on this and other casino gambling decisions to Florida voters,” he added. “Likewise, it does not affect traditional fantasy sports pools.” The amendment has largely been polling above the required 60 percent needed to be added to the state constitution.

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a challenge brought by the State of New Jersey, opened the doors to sports betting in a decision against the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), finding it unconstitutionally “dictate(d) the extent to which the states must maintain prohibitions on sports wagering.”

Florida has struggled with fantasy sports in recent Legislative Sessions, letting die measures that would have explicitly legalized online fantasy play.

Lawmakers also moved omnibus gambling bills just this year without addressing sports betting, citing fears that allowing wagers on sports would violate the Seminole Compact, the Seminole Tribe’s gambling contract with the state.

Jim Rosica

Jim Rosica is the Tallahassee-based Senior Editor for Florida Politics. He previously was the Tampa Tribune’s statehouse reporter. Before that, he covered three legislative sessions in Florida for The Associated Press. Jim graduated from law school in 2009 after spending nearly a decade covering courts for the Tallahassee Democrat, including reporting on the 2000 presidential recount. He can be reached at [email protected].


5 comments

  • Richard Hoptar

    October 5, 2018 at 10:34 am

    Do we still have a legal compact with the Seminoles?

    • Tom unkel

      October 6, 2018 at 4:48 pm

      Damn indians are greedy.

  • Michael

    October 5, 2018 at 12:51 pm

    Screw fan duel.. who are these people that dont even live here thinking they can control how we vote? Fan duel is nothing but scum wanting to suck money out of our residents for their own pockets. VOTE YES on 3

  • Brad Donovan

    October 5, 2018 at 3:02 pm

    Vote NO on Ammendment 3 because a yes only gives power to the Indians and not to the people of Florida here.

  • here

    October 17, 2018 at 7:33 am

    Hi there mates, good piece of writing and fastidious urging
    commented at this place, I am really enjoying by these.

Comments are closed.


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