Are DFSs gambling or not?

[cutchemist42]

Had an argument where someone said its not gambling because it involves skill and the government allows it, which to me still makes it gambling. What do you guys think?

DFS stands for daily fantasy sports.

[Big Bear]

what does DFS stand for?

[cutchemist42]

what does DFS stand for?

Daily Fantasy Sports

[Sdotbold]

i think its gambling and i play alot . i really dont get where they come up with that its not gambling and a game of skill besides the UGEIA wording. they have to adhear to that definition so they can get it legalized in all states.

[YorkHunt]

DTF?

[cutchemist42]

i think its gambling and i play alot . i really dont get where they come up with that its not gambling and a game of skill besides the UGEIA wording. they have to adhear to that definition so they can get it legalized in all states.

Yeah, I was on another forum and the topic came up, and he said a few things I just didnt see eye to eye on.

Concerning horse racing in relation to DFS

No, betting on a race is a game of chance. Anything where you simply pick the winner of a contest/game and win based on a set of pre-determined odds is always going to be a game of chance.

Concerning the structrue of DFS and it not being a game of chance

You don't "place bets" in DFS. There are no odds and you don't compete against a "house." It's two or more people putting money in a pool and a certain % of people winning money based on a constructed lineup of players in real life sports. There's no chance involved. Everyone could theoretically pick the same exact lineup.

[milwaukee mike]

i would guess that the fantasy stuff will eventually be considered gambling... if you're in a fantasy league with friends it's illegal here in wisconsin, just like a home game of poker

Wisconsin Statutes

GAMBLING Chapter 945
W.S.A. 945.01
945.01 Definitions. In this chapter:
(1) Bet. A bet is a bargain in which the parties agree that, dependent upon chance even though accompanied by some skill, one stands to win or lose something of value specified in the agreement.

[JohnGalt2341]

Had an argument where someone said its not gambling because it involves skill and the government allows it, which to me still makes it gambling. What do you guys think?

DFS stands for daily fantasy sports.

I tend to agree with you. If you had a 6 sided die and Bill Gates were to pay you $100 every time you rolled a 1 through a 4 but you had to pay him $100 every time you rolled a 5 or a 6 it would still be considered gambling. Your expected value would be +50% but you could still lose, therefore it is gambling.

Oddly enough, the Governments favorite form of gambling that is not only legal but they promote the hell out of is the Lottery. The Lottery's expected value is -50%. So... in reality the Government tends to encourage forms of gambling where you are virtually guaranteed to lose where as they keep other forms of gambling with MUCH better odds illegal. It makes absolutely no sense except that the Government runs the Lottery and they prefer to have a monopoly on gambling because if all forms of gambling were legal nobody in their right mind would play the Lottery. If the Lottery had competition and a privately run company ran a Lottery that paid out 90% instead of 50% people would stop playing the Government run Lottery and it would go out of business. The Government keeps most forms of gambling illegal so this won't happen.

[iifold]

If you can lose money, it's gambling...

But just like anything else where there's a boom, there's money to be made if you know where to find it...

Nothing lasts forever though!

[daneblazer]

If we play a game of pool, it's a skill game. If we put $5 on the game, it's gambling. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

[jjgold]

its not a skill..its random like gambling Son

[DOM_Toretto]

I actually wrote a research paper involving this topic a couple months ago. It's a very interesting, often contradicting and dynamic topic.

The four major US sports leagues ban their players from gambling on their own sports, but they all allow their athletes to gamble on DFS. NBA has partnered with Fan Duel and the Orlando Magic will have their logo on their basketball court next season. Denver Broncos also partnered with DFS operators.

U.S. Congress has ruled that playing and gambling on fantasy sports is a legal activity, stating "an outcome that reflects the relative knowledge of the participants, or their skill at physical reaction or physical manipulation [but not chance], and, in the case of a fantasy or simulation sports game, has an outcome that is determined predominantly by accumulated statistical results of a sports event is technically not gambling.

Although many would argue that the skills required to play fantasy sports - to pick a group of athletes who produce impressive individual stats - is the same skill as required to bet on sports and pick a winning side of a game.

[jjgold]

most players lose with fantasy also

Its a dream when you look at ads