New York Senate passes fantasy sports bill

The New York State Senate passed a bill early Saturday morning declaring that fantasy sports do not constitute gambling.

Your teams. Your favorite writers. Wherever you want them. Personalize SI with our new App. Install on iOS or Android.​

The New York State Senate passed a bill early Saturday morning declaring that fantasy sports do not constitute gambling, ESPN reports.

The bill now goes to Governor Andrew Cuomo, who will have 10 days after receiving it to sign it into law. It will then be effective immediately and allow companies, most notably daily fantasy operators DraftKings and FanDuel to resume operation.

The New York assembly passed the bill Friday afternoon, and the Senate followed almost 11 hours later. ESPN reports the New York Gaming Association lobbied hard against the bill’s success.

New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman issued a cease-and-desist order to DraftKings and FanDuel on Nov. 11, accusing them of violating the state’s gambling legislation. The companies still face charges of false advertising and consumer fraud, with court dates scheduled for September.

Ten states have declared daily fantasy games a form of illegal gambling since October.