DraftKings, FanDuel to stop offering games in New York
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Daily fantasy sites DraftKings and FanDuel will stop offering paid contests in New York, state Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced Monday.
The state will now wait until after an appeals hearing in September to pursue litigation that could force the companies to pay back funds lost by players of daily fantasy games.
“I’m pleased to announce that both FanDuel and DraftKings will stop taking bets in New York State, consistent with New York State law and the cease-and-desist orders my office issued at the outset of this matter,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “As I've said from the start, my job is to enforce the law, and starting today, DraftKings and FanDuel will abide by it. Today's agreement also creates an expedited path to resolve this litigation should that law change or upon a decision by the appellate division. Regardless, our key claims against the companies for false advertising and consumer fraud are not affected by the agreement and will continue.”
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DraftKings and FanDuel have been at odds with New York after Schneiderman declared that daily fantasy games amount to gambling, which is illegal in the state.
The attorney general’s office issued a cease-and-desist order to both companies on Dec. 11, which is the subject of the current appeal.
DraftKings and FanDuel released public statements after they were ordered to cease operations.
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FanDuel’s statement:
“New York is a critical state for FanDuel. FanDuel is headquartered in Manhattan, where we employ more than 170 young smart, passionate fans who are committed to innovating and providing the best fantasy experience possible. We are proud to be one of New York's largest startup companies, and while it is disheartening for us to restrict access to paid contests in our home state, we believe this is in the best interest of our company, the fantasy industry and our players while we continue to pursue legal clarity in New York.”
DraftKings’s statement:
"We are an industry leader in technology, innovation and consumer protections, and we are grateful to the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who have enjoyed playing fantasy sports on DraftKings for the last four years. We will continue to work with state lawmakers to enact fantasy sports legislation so that New Yorkers can play the fantasy games they love."
