A bill circulating in the legislature has troubled a group opposed to more gaming in Wisconsin.
They say the bill would be the largest increase in gambling in Wisconsin history.
Representative Tyler Vorpagel of Plymouth circulated a co-sponsorship memo for a bill proposing to legalize and regulate Daily Fantasy Sports games. The bill would legalize online gambling.
Lorrie Pickens from the group Citizens Against Expanded Gambling says there's no specific law making daily fantasy sports illegal, but says it might be circumventing long-held laws..
"...our state Constitution is pretty clear that any form of gambling is not permissible unless it's specifically outlined. Para-mutual dog track racing, lottery, casinos, bingo and raffle tickets. It's pretty clear when they passed the Constitutional amendment in 1992 the internet was not a 'thing', but certainly they didn't intend an explosion of gambling in this manner...."
Pickens says the state will get three percent of the net profits that come in. She says supporters want to call it a game of skill and not a game of chance. She disputes that point. She says as an example, poker involves some level of skill by the players but it doesn't make it legal to bet on....
"....if you look at the model of Daily Fantasy Sports, it's the 'sharks' vs. the 'minnows'. There's a few people at the top that are very skilled at what the do. The model depends very heavily on a lot of minnows, a lot of people who aren't very skilled....."
Pickens says there's a lot going on in Madison and with the big legislative issues like the budget and Foxconn she says this bill could slip through the cracks. She's hoping legislators don't co-sponsor the legislation. She says it's been portrayed as regulating online fantasy sports but what it really does, Pickens says, is legalize online gambling. She says there is not one consumer protection agency that is advocating for this bill.
