Daily Fantasy Sports May Open New Mexico to Online Gambling

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The Albuquerque Journal published an article on September 19, 2016 by Dr. Guy Clark, chairman of Stop Predatory Gambling New Mexico, on Daily Fantasy Sports.  The Journal editorial board had recently published an editorial wherein they encouraged Attorney General Hector Baldeguy clark reportsras to make a decision about the legality of DFS.  Dr. Clark’s article points out that anyone who sees the DFS knows that it is gambling, and that the AG needs to rule DFS in violation of New Mexico state law and shut it down.  guy clarkThe article follows:

Monday, September 19th, 2016 at 12:02am

THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL on Thursday ran an editorial on Daily Fantasy Sports titled “NM ducking fantasy sports legality question.”The Journal quotes the New Mexico Gaming Control Act, which defines prohibited gaming as “an activity in which, upon payment of consideration, a player receives a prize or other thing of value, the award of which is determined by chance even though accompanied by some skill.” Anyone who has ever seen a DFS ad on TV knows that DFS perfectly fits that definition.

The proponents, Rep. Nate Gentry and Sen. John Ryan, argue that DFS is a “game of skill.” The prohibition of gambling in the act includes “skill” as being an element of illegal gambling. Nearly every form of gambling involves some skill, whether it be blackjack, poker or horse racing.

Some people have more skill at some form of gambling than others, but the definition of gambling still holds. For the over 90 percent of DFS players who consistently lose, skill doesn’t seem to have much to do with it.

Even more important than the issue of DFS alone is the intention of the multi-billion-dollar gambling industry to use DFS as the wedge to open the door to legalized online gambling, with the next steps being online sports gambling, online poker, then full-scale casino gambling.

DFS is only the opening salvo.

Pictured above is Dr. Guy Clark

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