Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin has found that daily fantasy sports are currently legal under Rhode Island law. Kilmartin also strongly advised the Legislature to establish regulations to protect Rhode Island players.
"After a very thorough review of how these sites operate and an analysis of our statutes and relevant case law, I am confident that daily fantasy sports sites are currently legal in Rhode Island," said Attorney General Kilmartin. Noting that the relevant test in Rhode Island involves assessing whether chance is the dominant factor in determining the outcome, Kilmartin concluded that in fantasy sports, chance is not a dominant factor.
Nevertheless, Kilmartin recommended that there should be strict regulations imposed on the operation of these sites to address the issues experienced with gambling in Rhode Island, including infiltration of the criminal element, youth participation, and addiction issues.
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