JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri lawmakers are debating whether to regulate fantasy sports like gambling.
Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick told a House panel Wednesday he's proposing to exempt fantasy sports from gambling regulations because players rely on skill, not chance. He said a final version of his bill would include consumer protections, such as age restrictions.
Several fantasy sports companies said Fitzpatrick's bill would clarify Missouri's laws. Nobody spoke against it.
Fantasy sports players assemble rosters of athletes who earn points based on their performance in real games. Players win if their teams accrue more points than opposing teams.
Gov. Jay Nixon has called for regulating fantasy sports like gambling.
A 2006 federal law regulating online gambling exempted fantasy sports, but several attorneys general have said daily fantasy sports violate their states' gambling laws.