The Fantasy Sports Trade Association today will hold its summer conference in N.Y., despite the legality of daily fantasy in the state still being uncertain. Fantasy advocates are seeking to pass a bill before the end of the state’s current legislative session on Thursday that would classify DFS as a game of skill and allow widespread play in the state to resume after DraftKings and FanDuel suspended operations there in March. The bill has received committee-level approval, but has not yet cleared the full state legislature.
FSTA President Paul Charchian will open up the event this morning with remarks on the state of the industry. Later today, Ipsos VP Jason Allsopp will discuss new research findings indicating fantasy sports participation in the U.S. and Canada has risen to a record level of 57.4 million. The figure, however, is up just 1% from the same study a year ago, a drastic reduction from the 39% growth reported in '15 and double-digit percentage increases many other years this decade (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).
Also today, Pro Football HOFer Jim Kelly and former NFLer Vinny Testaverde are scheduled to be at the New York state Capitol in Albany to "urge passage of fantasy sports legalization." Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie last night said that there is "not yet a final agreement" among the state's Democratic lawmakers on daily fantasy. Heastie: "There is still a contentious conversation" (BUFFALO NEWS, 6/14).
