Fantasy Contests Act; created, registration required, conditions of registration, civil penalty. (SB646)

Introduced By

Sen. Ryan McDougle (R-Mechanicsville)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Fantasy Contests Act; registration required; conditions of registration; civil penalty. Creates the Fantasy Contests Act (the Act), which applies to fantasy contests with an entry fee offered in Virginia. The bill defines "fantasy contest" as any fantasy or simulated game or contest in which (i) the value of all prizes and awards offered to winning participants is established and made known to the participants in advance of the contest; (ii) all winning outcomes reflect the relative knowledge and skill of the participants and are determined predominantly by accumulated statistical results of the performance of individuals, including athletes in the case of sports events; and (iii) no winning outcome is based on the score, point spread, or any performance of any single actual team or combination of teams or solely on any single performance of an individual athlete or player in any single actual event. The bill requires operators of fantasy contests to register annually with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The bill sets forth the conditions for registration and penalties for violation of the Act. The bill provides that such contests are not illegal gambling. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/18/2016Presented and ordered printed 16103211D
01/18/2016Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
01/28/2016Impact statement from DPB (SB646)
02/01/2016Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendments (12-Y 3-N) (see vote tally)
02/01/2016Rereferred to Finance
02/03/2016Reported from Finance (11-Y 4-N) (see vote tally)
02/04/2016Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/05/2016Read second time
02/05/2016Reading of amendments waived
02/05/2016Committee amendments agreed to
02/05/2016Engrossed by Senate as amended SB646E
02/05/2016Printed as engrossed 16103211D-E
02/08/2016Read third time and passed Senate (28-Y 10-N) (see vote tally)
02/09/2016Impact statement from DPB (SB646E)
02/12/2016Placed on Calendar
02/12/2016Read first time
02/12/2016Referred to Committee on General Laws
02/18/2016Reported from General Laws with substitute (15-Y 5-N) (see vote tally)
02/18/2016Committee substitute printed 16105621D-H1
02/19/2016Read second time
02/19/2016Impact statement from DPB (SB646H1)
02/22/2016Read third time
02/22/2016Committee substitute agreed to 16105621D-H1
02/22/2016Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB646H1
02/22/2016Passed House with substitute (80-Y 20-N)
02/22/2016VOTE: PASSAGE (80-Y 20-N) (see vote tally)
02/24/2016House substitute agreed to by Senate (31-Y 9-N) (see vote tally)
02/24/2016Title replaced 16105621D-H1
02/25/2016Enrolled
02/25/2016Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB646ER)
02/25/2016Impact statement from DPB (SB646ER)
02/25/2016Signed by Speaker
02/26/2016Signed by President
02/29/2016Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on 2/29/16
02/29/2016G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, March 7, 2016
03/07/2016G Approved by Governor-Chapter 318 (effective 7/1/16)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 3 clips in all, totaling 4 minutes.

Transcript

This is a transcript of the video clips in which this bill is discussed.



Sen. David Suetterlein (R-Salem): DAY.

[Unknown]: WITH THAT OBJECTION, SENATE BILL 588 WILL GO BYE FOR THE DAY.

Sen. David Suetterlein (R-Salem): SENATE BILL 646, A BILL RELATING TO THE FANTASY CONTESTS ACT, REGISTRATION REQUIRED; CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION; CIVIL PENALTY.

[Unknown]: THE SENATOR FROM HANOVER, SENATOR McDOUGLE.

Sen. Ryan McDougle (R-Mechanicsville): MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK THAT BILL 646 PASS AND SPEAKING TO THAT MOTION.

[Unknown]: THE SENATOR HAS THE FLOOR.

Sen. Ryan McDougle (R-Mechanicsville): MR. PRESIDENT, THIS BILL IS RELATED TO THE FANTASY CONTEST ACT AND AS WE TALKED ON FRIDAY, THIS DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY SEAT MATE'S THOUGHT PROCESSES OVER THE WEEKEND HAS TO DO WITH THE REGULATORY SCHEME THAT WE WILL BE PUTTING IN PLACE TO REGULATE THE -- PUT IN THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR COMPANIES THAT WOULD OPERATE WHAT ARE TRADITIONALLY KNOWN AS FANTASY BASEBALL, FOOTBALL AND OTHER SPORTS IN VIRGINIA. MR. PRESIDENT, THE BILL DOES A NUMBER OF THINGS. I WILL TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THEN WILLING TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF ANY MEMBERS HAVE THEM. THE BILL WILL PUT IN A REGULATORY SCHEME. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THAT TO BE FUND BY EACH OF THE COMPANIES THAT ARE OPERATING THESE TYPES OF CONTESTS THAT THE FUNDING FOR THAT WILL BE $50,000 FROM EACH OF THE OWNERS OF THE PLATFORMS THAT WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES. THE DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO CONDUCT INDEPENDENT AUDITS OF EACH OF THOSE COMPANIES WITH THOSE AUDITS THEY WILL BE DONE BY PRIVATE ENTITIES BUT HAVE TO BE REPORTED TO THE DEPARTMENT. TRADITIONALLY WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THE AUDITS ARE DONE ON A THREE YEAR CYCLE BUT UNDER THIS LEGISLATION ON EVERY YEAR ANNUALLY. MR. PRESIDENT, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS FOR CONSUME HES. THOSE INCLUDE NOT ALLOWING EMPLOYEES OREL LATIVES OF THE ENTITIES TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN THE CONTEST. VERIFYING THAT EACH PLAYER IS 18 YEARS OF AGE. AND ENSURING THAT THE FUNDS THE PLAYERS ARE USING ARE SEGREGATED FROM THE OPERATIONAL FUNDS OF THE ENTITIES. MR. PRESIDENT, WITH THAT EXPLANATION AND HITTING THE HOT POINTS I RENEWED MY MOTION THAT SENATE BILL 646 PASS.

[Unknown]: THE REQUEST HE IS SHALL SENATE BILL 646 PASS. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILLY E, THOSE OPPOSED NO. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CH ANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL. AYES 28, NOS 10. AYES 28, NOS 10.


Sen. Frank Wagner (R-Virginia Beach): THE HOUSE AMENDMENT REMOVES THE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT WOULD BE AN EMPLOYER REPRESENTED BY A THIRD-PARTY INSURED WHICH REALLY DOESN'T NEED TO BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION. WITH THAT EXPLANATION I RENEW MY MOTION.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE QUESTION IS SHALL THE SENATE CONCUR WITH THE HOUSE AMENDMENTS. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILL. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CH ANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

[Unknown]: AYES 39, NOS 0. AYES 39, NOS 0. THE SENATE CONCURS WITH THE HOUSE AMENDMENT. SENATE BILL 646 HAS PASSED THE HOUSE WITH A SUBSTITUTE. THE SENATOR FROM HANOVER, SENATOR McDOUGLE.

Sen. Ryan McDougle (R-Mechanicsville): I MOVE THE SENATE CONCUR WITH THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTE SPEAKING.

[Unknown]: THE SENATOR HAS THE FLOOR.

Sen. Ryan McDougle (R-Mechanicsville): IT IS A SUBSTITUTE BECAUSE IT A INCLUDES A LOT OF ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE BUT THAT LANGUAGE IS FOCUSED ON STOCKHOLDERS, BACKGROUND CHECKS AND WE PUT IN THE REGULATORY PROCESS AND WE MIRRORED LANGUAGE FOUND IN OTHER REGULATORY PROCESSES IN THE CODE TO MAKE IS CONSISTENT. WITH THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, I