Draft Kings

[Frayed Knot]

And just to clarify some stuff from before:
- I don't gamble, on anything -- not even scratch-off tickets or office football pools -- but nor am I an anti-gambling crusader so how much of this stuff is legal or not is really of little concern to me.
But it's the seemingly random selectivity and hypocritical nature of what gets declared legal and what remains banned, and, maybe more importantly, WHO gets to run gambling operations and who doesn't that needs to be fixed. In the case of these fantasy leagues, it's the fact that they're legal and unregulated while potentially competing forms of gambling are either illegal and/or highly regulated gives them a virtual license to print money (including insider dealings ... wow, whoda thunk that?!?) because of some odd definition finagling. It's like the worst form of crony capitalism -- your business isn't just favored, it's competition proof -- only with questionable legalities and unregulated rules thrown in. Those who remember OTB in NY should remember that it was one of the most corrupt -- and therefore politically popular -- arms of city and county governments ever invented. It was a virtual monopoly on legal gambling at the time and it acted as such. To be tabbed to run the local OTB chapter was considered the plum job in all of political patronage. And we haven't even gotten into Indian casinos yet.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Frayed Knot wrote: And just to clarify some stuff from before: - I don't gamble, on anything -- not even scratch-off tickets or office football pools -- but nor am I an anti-gambling crusader so how much of this stuff is legal or not is really of little concern to me. But it's the seemingly random selectivity and hypocritical nature of what gets declared legal and what remains banned, and, maybe more importantly, WHO gets to run gambling operations and who doesn't that needs to be fixed. In the case of these fantasy leagues, it's the fact that they're legal and unregulated while potentially competing forms of gambling are either illegal and/or highly regulated gives them a virtual license to print money (including insider dealings ... wow, whoda thunk that?!?) because of some odd definition finagling. It's like the worst form of crony capitalism -- your business isn't just favored, it's competition proof -- only with questionable legalities and unregulated rules thrown in. Those who remember OTB in NY should remember that it was one of the most corrupt -- and therefore politically popular -- arms of city and county governments ever invented. It was a virtual monopoly on legal gambling at the time and it acted as such. To be tabbed to run the local OTB chapter was considered the plum job in all of political patronage. And we haven't even gotten into Indian casinos yet.

This is hardly news. I mean, cigarettes are legal ferchrissakes. Food manufacturers are allowed to put High Fructose Corn Syrup in the things we eat. The families of 9/11 victims got millions while others similarly situated get nothing. And so it goes. It's policy. It happens every day.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Guest

[Ceetar]

insider trading is a wholy different issue. Sure, people at FanDuel clearly can mine the numbers and see the deals and the popular picks to find value (Because you don't want to pick the best guys that everyone is picking, or you won't beat those people.)

I'm not sure what people inside sports can really do that's going to hurt the integrity of said sport. It's so random, and so much dumb luck, that throwing a game isn't even really an option to win money. Sure, it's an addition and things happen, but it's not hard to call a friend in Vegas to make a bet for you or to do so in other less legal means. Any player that wants can log in to a variety of internet sites and bet on sports.

So i'm not really sure what the problem is. Obviously it should be more regulated and taxed. Lotteries, casinos, poker, daily fantasy, etc. But they should all be legal, and the ones that are, well, are. This isn't any different than the NY lottery advertising a billion times on every game, we're just desensitized to that.

[Frayed Knot]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: This is hardly news. I mean, cigarettes are legal ferchrissakes. Food manufacturers are allowed to put High Fructose Corn Syrup in the things we eat.

I have no idea what cigarettes and high-fructose corn syrup have to do with this discussion. As I said, I'm not particularly interested in whether gambling restrictions are tightened or loosened, I'm just against the selective legality of it all and the hypocrisy that comes with it.

The analogies, if you want to bring smokes or calories into it, would be if cigarettes were banned for contributing to poor health but cigars remained legal under some vague notion notion that it's a more high-class habit even though no sane person could argue anything other than they're just different forms of smoking. This type of quasi-ban would not only kill the cigarette industry obviously (or, more accurately, drive it underground as is the case now with most non-fantasy sports gambling) but it would be a big boon to cigar makers who would then work to keep that arrangement as the status quo because of how much it works for their own benefit. Or if the makers/distributers of some foods were allowed to include high-fructose corn syrup while other were prohibited from doing so and instead were forced into more costly (and probably unsubsidized) substitutes to the detriment of their profits, market share, and ability to compete with the favored class. And again it would be a case of only sort of banning what is said to be bad for us while still allowing it for privileged segments of a supposedly free and open market.

That the sports leagues and individual teams are in bed with the fantasy outfits is both unfortunate but also more or less inevitable because of this favored status bestowed on them convinces the leagues that they might as well join them and get what they see as side benefits to their existence (increased fan interest in more games - or at least stats within games) since they couldn't beat them even if they wanted to try.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Frayed Knot wrote: d'Kong76 wrote: I didn't know this, that's messed up. Hell, MLB is invested in one or the other.

I didn't know that either, I assumed they just lopped up a lot
of advertising revenue and un-measurable goodwill of sorts.

I don't know, people who don't see that this is at least somewhat
rotten on some level are just turning the other way. I don't care
enough to sway anyone. Especially one's who disagree with most
everything anyway and use analogies like 'hay fever is a major
concern for some and what do they do they put grass on all the
fields at the stadiums' so what's wrong with MLB Slots?

[batmagadanleadoff]

Frayed Knot wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: This is hardly news. I mean, cigarettes are legal ferchrissakes. Food manufacturers are allowed to put High Fructose Corn Syrup in the things we eat. I have no idea what cigarettes and high-fructose corn syrup have to do with this discussion. As I said, I'm not particularly interested in whether gambling restrictions are tightened or loosened, I'm just against the selective legality of it all and the hypocrisy that comes with it.

I think my analogies work. I mean marijuana's illegal. And heroin. And cocaine. But cigarettes are legal? Isn't that enough "selective legality" for you? BTW, I agree with every single point you make on this issue. I guess what I'm saying is that I probably wouldn't get so worked up about it at this point in my life to write a coupl'a paragraphs on it. I'm not fazed at all by the policy decisions that give this form of entertainment the coat of legality.

[Frayed Knot]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I think my analogies work. I mean marijuana's illegal. And heroin. And cocaine. But cigarettes are legal? Isn't that enough "selective legality" for you?

No, because I don't view cigarettes and heroin as remotely analogous therefore I don't find different laws applying to them to be simply arbitrary.
But there's no such Mo Vaughn sized gap between betting on sports (almost universally illegal in this country) vs betting on fantasy sports (legal). Nor are the distinctions from above as tortured as the logic that says fantasy sports betting needs to be allowed because it's a skill not a mere game of chance but yet lotteries which are pure chance are not only allowed by the gov't but run by it and games with at least as much skill as fantasy like poker and such remain mostly banned.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Frayed Knot wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: I think my analogies work. I mean marijuana's illegal. And heroin. And cocaine. But cigarettes are legal? Isn't that enough "selective legality" for you? No, because I don't view cigarettes and heroin as remotely analogous therefore I don't find different laws applying to them to be simply arbitrary. But there's no such Mo Vaughn sized gap between betting on sports (almost universally illegal in this country) vs betting on fantasy sports (legal). Nor are the distinctions from above as tortured as the logic that says fantasy sports betting needs to be allowed because it's a skill not a mere game of chance but yet lotteries which are pure chance are not only allowed by the gov't but run by it and games with at least as much skill as fantasy like poker and such remain mostly banned.

"Remotely"? Really?

Well, you're entitled to your views.

[Frayed Knot]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: "Remotely"? Really?

Ummm, yeah.

[Frayed Knot]

MLB said they "were surprised" to find out that partner (MLB has minority ownership stake) 'Draft Kings' allowed their employees to win money in their leagues.

Really?

[Edgy MD]

And as Pete Rose undermined the integrity of baseball and baseball games, this threatens to undermine the integrity of the upcoming Pete Rose decision.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Edgy MD wrote: And as Pete Rose undermined the integrity of baseball and baseball games, this threatens to undermine the integrity of the upcoming Pete Rose decision.

Yup©

d'Kong76 wrote: something's gonna happen and it's gonna be a big mess one of these days...

It's happening NOW!!

[Guest d'Kong76]

[Elster88]

Nevada Gaming Commission is shutting down daily fantasy in Nevada.

[nymr83]

Elster88 wrote: Nevada Gaming Commission is shutting down daily fantasy in Nevada.

yeah because they see it as competition for their bullshit monopoly on sports gambling.

[Elster88]

A senator/rep from NJ is trying to get a hearing about the relationship between the DFS companies and the sports leagues.

The NFL is trying to block the hearing by taking to some committee in Washington.

This is all from tickers under the sports shows, no idea how accurate it is.

[Elster88]

Nymr83 wrote: Elster88 wrote: Nevada Gaming Commission is shutting down daily fantasy in Nevada. yeah because they see it as competition for their bullshit monopoly on sports gambling.

They regulate and I'm sure shady politicians line their pockets, but that's not what a monopoly is, no?

I'm sure they want more money though.

[Frayed Knot]

Well the point is that Vegas has had a (near) monopoly on legal sports wagering in this country for a long time so anything that reduces competition is good for them and therefore, even though there appear to be legit reasons for investigating these daily fantasy leagues, it's not surprising that Nevada is the one taking the lead on this.
Gambling interests in this country -- starting with racetracks, then moving to gov't run lotteries, and then to the early casinos in LV or AC -- have long flourished by having their little fiefdoms protected from competition. Witness the number of bankruptcies in AC once "indian" casinos and boat/barge gambling started popping up elsewhere and giving folks other choices.

[Valadius]

Elster88 wrote: A senator/rep from NJ is trying to get a hearing about the relationship between the DFS companies and the sports leagues. The NFL is trying to block the hearing by taking to some committee in Washington. This is all from tickers under the sports shows, no idea how accurate it is.

My boss (Senator Menendez) and Congressman Pallone held a press conference at Metlife Stadium on this. They're all over it. My boss wants the Federal Trade Commission involved. Pallone wants a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee (he's the lead Democrat on the Committee). The NFL wants to prevent that hearing from taking place.

[Edgy MD]

And, of course, members of Congress from New Jersey are the other ones with moneyed constituents most threatened by a new type of legal, mostly unregulated, commercial, institutional gambling.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: And, of course, members of Congress from New Jersey are the other ones with moneyed constituents most threatened by a new type of legal, mostly unregulated, commercial, institutional gambling.

I WILL VOTE EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM OUT SCREW THEM ALL.

I'm so shocked poker is legal online here. I don't know how that happened. I don't know why Atlantic City insists on stubbornly sticking to it's guns. It's like the guy who has a heart attack and continues to down double shackburgers for all meals.

I don't know why I live in this state.

[Valadius]

My boss will be on Outside the Lines with Bob Ley at 1:30 PM today to talk about this.

[Benjamin Grimm]

And my boss will be sending me e-mails all day asking me to explain the mistakes he keeps making.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Valadius wrote: My boss will be on Outside the Lines with Bob Ley at 1:30 PM today to talk about this.

He's out of jail already?

[Elster88]

A football player is suing FanDuel

http://espn.go.com/chalk/story/_/id/14011070/pierre-garcon-washington-redskins-leads-class-action-lawsuit-fanduel

[Guest d'Kong76]

Bookies be:
[youtube:3dsdzfe0]CdvITn5cAVc[/youtube:3dsdzfe0]

[nymr83]

Schneiderman can go fuck himself. this is nothing but a dirt bag politician trying to make a name for himself and get his ugly face all over the media.

[Ceetar]

Nymr83 wrote: Schneiderman can go fuck himself. this is nothing but a dirt bag politician trying to make a name for himself and get his ugly face all over the media.

Once people started suddenly deciding it was 'too much' advertising for daily fantasy, you just knew the politicians would jump up at the chance to pander.

[Guest d'Kong76]

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[Guest Mets Willets Point]

[youtube:so0n59xn]FQVeq8vX2K0[/youtube:so0n59xn]