FanFuel and Draftkings, leaders in the daily fantasy sports market, reacted swiftly to the recent opinion by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan that their activities are illegal in the state as it constitutes gambling.
The two companies filed separate cases on Thursday in an endeavor to fight her opinion as they are adamant that their contests are games of skill that is permitted by Illinois law.
According to a report in the Associated Press news agency, FanFuel filed a lawsuit in Illinois’ Sangamon County together with Head2Head Sports LLC, a season-long fantasy contest operator. DraftKings also filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago on Thursday.
The litigation is an attempt to halt Madigan from enforcing her interpretation of the law in Illinois as this would force them to stop operating in the state.
The lawsuit that has been filed by DraftKings declares that “AG Madigan’s action has set off a chain of events that if unchecked will unjustly destroy a legitimate industry’.
Attorney Randy Mastro, who represents DraftKings, revealed that the company was taking legal action in order to ensure that the hundreds of thousands of Illinois fans who have been playing openly and honestly for almost a decade, will be assured that they can continue to enjoy the fantasy sports games that they love. According to the court filing, residents in Illinois represent 10 percent of DraftKing’s customers.
The AG has thus far failed to comment on the lawsuits that were filed by FanFuel and DraftKings.
