Over a year after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton questioned whether fantasy sports are legal, state lawmakers are mulling the idea over.
- Texas lawmakers want to protect fantasy sports games
- House Bill 1457 would label fantasy sports as games of chance
- OUR NEW APP: Watch News 13 or Bay News 9 on the go or wherever you are with the new Spectrum TV app
Last January, Paxton likened paid fantasy sports sites to online gambling, which is illegal.
Being heard on Monday, Rep. Richard Peña Raymond (D-Laredo) filed a measure aimed to protect Texans who play online sports fantasy games. Fantasy sports would be labeled as games of skill instead of games of chance.
Eight members of the Texas House, including Raymond, have signed on to the bill as authors or co-authors of House Bill 1457.
State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) filed a companion bill in the upper chamber, but her proposal has not been scheduled for a hearing.
Watch the bill's progress here.