As the NFL season is set to begin, fantasy football leagues are still legal in Texas, the Texas Fantasy Sports Alliance is stressing, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"There is a misunderstanding about the legality of fantasy sports here in the state, but rest assured, fantasy sports is legal in the state of Texas," the Alliance's Scott Dunaway says.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2016 issued an opinion that fantasy sports violates the state's gambling laws. But Attorney General's opinions are not law, they are simply an indication of the side the state would take if the issue should come to court. Dunaway says there has been no move to shut down fantasy sports operations and he doesn't expect any.
The Legislature failed to approve several bills which would have 'clarified' the legality of fantasy sports, something Dunaway says would have been helpful.
"I think that efforts toward clarifying the legality of fantasy sports would do a tremendous amount for the players," he said.
In fantasy sports, players 'draft' certain players and win prizes based on that players performance in an upcoming game.
Paxton's concern is, because the companies operating the fantasy games take a cut, or a 'vigorish' from the betting, the games amount to illegal gambling.