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AUSTIN, Texas (Associated Press) - A bill exempting paid online fantasy sports sites from Texas anti-gambling laws has begun a potentially contentious journey through the Legislature.
Last year, state Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a non-binding opinion that paid online daily fantasy sports constituted gambling by offering chances to win money based on the performance of teams selected online.
FanDuel, one major site offering such games, subsequently agreed to stop accepting paid entries for cash prizes in Texas.
Laredo Democratic Rep. Richard Raymond's bill seeks to legalize such sites as offering games of skill rather than chance - making them harder to classify as gambling.
It was heard Monday in House committee, but left pending, without approval to the chamber floor.
State lawmakers have traditionally opposed any proposal that might be seen as gambling.
