Regulating daily fantasy sports in the state of Illinois will be delayed after a measure on the activity has stalled. Two days before lawmakers adjourned the spring season, a bill covering DFS was not put up for a vote. Michael Zaleswki, a Representative of the state, told Legal Sports Report that HB3655 was not voted upon due to allegations of vote-buying made by Rita Mayfield, a fellow Representative of Illinois.
Zalewski is a sponsor of the bill and announced that the measure was not voted upong and he will continue to have conversations with fellow lawmakers, explaining why the bill is good public policy. The Representative plans on fighting another day for the regulation of the industry within the state.
Mayfield started the discussion about allegations of vote-buying in regards to HB3655. Supposedly, illegal lobbying took place with Mayfield claiming that she received an email from a lobbyist who represented DFS sites DraftKings and FanDuel. The email stated that the two operators would pay or donate funds to an organization in exchange for the Representative to vote yes.
Representative Mayfield stated that the lobbyist sent out an inappropriate email and it was done without consulting members of the caucus and it was unethical and illegal in her opinion. The email was reported to the ethics officer by Mayfield.
DraftKings and FanDuel deny the allegations by Mayfield. A spokesman for both companies, Jeremy Kudon, stated that both companies categorically reject the implication that they were involved in such behavior. The companies do not condone such activity and it is now how they do business.
For now, the bill is shelved but it could still be considered this summer if the measure is called into legislation. Several states are considering regulation of the daily fantasy sports industry within their borders and for now, Illinois will not be one to legalize and regulate the activity.
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