Daily Fantasy Sports in Illinois: Regulation, Platforms, and Trends
The Illinois Daily Fantasy Sports saga began in 2015. Playing against other players in these kinds of games was referred to as “gambling” under Illinois law as it stood at the time, according to a Lisa Madigan opinion piece.
The status of DFS changed significantly as a result of the opinion. These games were in the “grey area” between gambling and legitimate activities based on ability and performance during the lengthy Supreme Court consideration of the case.
Finally, in April 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that head-to-head DFS competitions were skill-based games rather than gambling.
It’s wonderful to see the sector developing. Officially, players from Illinois are free to use the top real money daily fantasy sports sites and make a living off of their gaming prowess.
Currently, DraftKings and FanDuel are the two most popular websites that draw DFS players. They hold DFS tournaments for basketball, hockey, football, soccer, and a few other sports.
More about fantasy sports, please! Naturally, more Illinois residents will be curious about them, so we will inform them of the details.
Laws for Daily Fantasy Sports in Illinois
General Counsel Madigan started a famous legal battle that will be covered in books for years to come. It raised the following issues:
• The opinion piece said that DFS did not require the talent, endurance, strength, or speed of genuine athletes, and that the Illinois Criminal Code did not only forbid “games of chance,” but also “games of skill” when they were played for money.
Although the two main DFS companies continued to operate in jurisdictions where they were allowed to, their very existence was in doubt.
The result was not apparent since Illinois law permits losers of illegitimate bets to demand a refund from the winner. A complaint was made against the winner in 2016 by a player who had lost $100 playing daily fantasy sports. The complaint was rejected by the court, primarily because the same legislation does not provide recovery when a third party is in charge of the transaction.
There was even more drama, and it appeared like DFS games and the gambling sector were in rivalry. A measure enabling sports betting at nearby horse races and casinos was approved by the Illinois legislature in June 2019. Real gambling was permitted for a brief time, although DFS were still being scrutinized.
Daily fantasy sports are considered permissible US sports betting as of the Supreme Court’s April 2020 ruling.
Daily Fantasy Sports: What Are They?
A fantasy sport is a team-based social activity that recruits participants from a realistic environment. You may view all of the players’ statistics on the platforms, which are updated as the seasons go on.
As the team owner, you select your team based on your knowledge and judgment. You can replace unhappy players with free agents by letting go of the former players. You can move up the leaderboard by earning more fantasy points by using the player’s stats.
A subtype of fantasy sports is DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports). The tournaments are condensed to a single day or week in place of season-long fantasy sports competitions. For those who can’t make it through an entire NFL season, this genre of games is considerably more engaging.
Teams continue to compete frequently, and the owners tally points depending on player statistics. The shorter tournaments are the sole distinction. The DFS subcategory is frequently referred to as the action-packed side of fantasy sports.
Which DFS sportsbooks were given licenses?
The websites that permit DFS games are not required to get a license by the Illinois Gaming Board because DFS are formally classified as a game of skill rather than a gambling activity. The top Il Daily Fantasy Sports sites, on the other hand, are committed to fair play, therefore they set tight criteria that ensure that each player has an equal chance of winning.
A contrast between DFS and sportsbooks should also be made. Sportsbooks are where bets are placed on live sporting events. You don’t wager on daily fantasy sports. You put together your team in the hopes that your players will perform well in practice.
The top two websites in the sector are:
On a global scale, it is the biggest daily fantasy sports site. You can participate in a variety of competitions, including 50/50 tournaments, 50/100, and head-to-head matches. The software responds quickly. You may choose a contest, draft your squad, and keep track of the outcomes with ease.
The incentive offered right now is enormous! On your initial deposit, you can receive a 20% match bonus up to $500. You can start playing for no cost to gauge your abilities.
Comparing the bonus offer to that of DraftKings reveals how modest it is. On your initial deposit, you receive a $5 bonus. However, if you make the required amount ($10), you will receive a bonus equal to 50% of your investment. This is a better platform for beginners who start with small investments.
There are benefits to having the second-ranked site in the sector. FanDuel occasionally develops new contest formats since it needs to be creative to compete. Beginner and single-game competitions started on this website.
There are further websites you can check out if you’re looking for alternatives:
Daily Fantasy on Yahoo
• Draftboard
• FantasyDraft
Compared to the two major giants, these are lesser platforms with a less spectacular prize pool.
Daily fantasy sports game types
The most widely used format of Illinois Daily Fantasy Sports is the salary cap imposed by the website. You are given a specific sum of money to provide to your chosen players as their fictitious salaries. The goal of the salary cap-based competitions is to balance the teams. You ought to be knowledgeable enough to spot underpaid athletes, offer them a lesser (fictitious) compensation, and work better with them.
There are alternative models if you don’t like that one:
Amounts promised as prizes
Each participant must pay a certain admission fee. It contributes to the prize fund, which is then distributed among the players who finish first and second on the leaderboard.
Head-to-head
You can set up a head-to-head match if you chose a team to battle against. Only two team leaders evaluate their players’ abilities in this kind of game. The winner of the prize fund receives the highest score.
Casino games
All competitors in these contests must pay an entry fee. The winners receive the cash award, multiplying their initial investment. The 50/50 raffle is a specific kind of cash game.
50/50
In 50/50 competitions, the prize money is divided equally among the top half of the leaderboard. Since they only need to outperform 50% of the opposition, it’s the most secure approach for newbies to triumph.
Parlay and forecast Dream Sports
The parlay is a wager on a team that competes in the DFS competition. The bets base their predictions on the best statistics.
You cannot currently make such bets on the top Illinois Daily Fantasy Sports websites. You can only create a team for yourself and make money according to your abilities.
Sports Available for Daily Fantasy
The sports that the top Illinois fantasy sports apps offer are listed below. We advise you to concentrate on one sport that you enjoy and actively follow. All of these are available as daily fantasy sports in addition to season-long fantasy activities.
• Golf; NASCAR; Soccer; MMA; Football (NFL); Basketball (NBA); Baseball (MLB); Hockey (MHL); College football; College basketball; (Mixed martial arts)
Esports shouldn’t be overlooked. They are modeled on popular competitions like CS: GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, and others. For “actual” sports, the regulations are the same as those in DFS.
To sum up
This is a skill-based game. It shouldn’t be played haphazardly. It takes a lot of work to organize your team, analyze games and players, and manage it during the competition. You’ll need to spend much more time if you intend to design many lineups for different sports.
But hey, you have the opportunity to start your own sports team and make some cash in the process. Isn’t this the job of your dreams?
For more information on possibilities for legal internet gaming and betting in Illinois, see our in-depth reviews:
Online Sports Betting FAQ
Daily fantasy sports are they legal?
DFS is legitimate in Illinois, yes. In fact, aside from Washington, Nevada, Montana, Louisiana, Idaho, Hawaii, and Arizona, they are legal in the majority of other states. The most reliable fantasy sports websites have tight guidelines for their users. You must participate in fair play in your own way: On a platform, you are limited to having one profile. You can play on many platforms, but you can only have one user profile per platform. In DFS, you cannot hire outside help to complete your job. The decision must be based on your own abilities. It is not permitted to purchase, sell, or jointly develop lineups with other users.
How much money is there in the daily fantasy sports industry?
The most recent information accessible through Statista covers the 2018 survey period. The industry was $7.22 billion in debt at that time. It brought in $2.91 billion.
Is it possible to participate on many daily fantasy sports websites?
Yes. Multiple user profiles cannot be made on the same website. But if you want to compete against a wider range of opponents, you can use alternative sites. Additionally, the sports that Daily Fantasy offers vary between platforms. For instance, you might enjoy FanDuel because of their sign-up bonus. But as time goes on, you’ll start to focus more on DraftKings because it offers additional sports like MMA, NASCAR, and more. Keeping and using your profiles on both sites is OK.
Is DFS a sport’s wager?
The debate is still going on. DFS is currently NOT regarded as a type of sports betting. It is viewed as a skill-based game. It is therefore legal in the majority of states. DFS business in Illinois was suspended as a result of the debate over whether it constituted unlawful gambling. Thankfully, we got over that, and now you can play from anywhere in this state.
How do I found my daily fantasy sports account?
You can download an app in addition to creating a profile on your preferred desktop website. For a start, you’ll need to enter your email and choose a screen name. Then feel free to explore the area. Check out the teams that other people have built, then consider your own choice. Look over the numerous sports and learn about the competitions you can in. You can use the majority of debit and credit cards to make a deposit when you’re prepared to assemble your squad. Additional payment options include eWallets like PayPal, Skrill, and others.
If you win at DFS, do you have to pay taxes?
It’s similar to making money off of your talents. These activities are treated the same way as work in terms of the law. So, certainly, if you win, you must pay taxes. But there is a distinction between playing as a job and as a pleasure. When it comes time to file your taxes, we advise you to maintain track of your earnings and consult an accountant.
What daily fantasy sport is the most popular?
The major three team sports in the USA, football (NFL), basketball (NBA), and baseball, are ranked in the same order (MLB). However, it depends on the time of year and the ongoing tournaments. After all, daily fantasy sports are based on actual team sports.
What age must a participant be to take part in DFS?
To create a profile, join a league, and compete with your team on DraftKings, FanDuel, and the majority of other daily fantasy sports platforms, you must be at least 18 years old.
Playing daily fantasy sports is it possible to gain money?
A news story that went viral in 2015 about a Bostonian who made $3 million playing fantasy sports that year transformed people’s perceptions of daily fantasy sports (DFS). You can treat this as a hobby that brings you the occasional earnings, or a full-time job that makes you a living. It’s possible.