Fantasy sports and gambling
Sports fans decide to play fantasy sports for a number of reasons. While some use the game to assume some control over the sport they are watching. Some people feel that it adds another element of excitement while watching the games. Others might feel that there is a monetary gain to be had. While most people would not compare fantasy sports to something like roulette or poker, some would categorize it as gambling. I wonder how many fantasy sports players think of it that way? And does it matter?
The question of fantasy sports as a game of skill vs. outright gambling is a debate that rages on with no signs of slowing down. Many feel that the games are forms of gambling that require a deal of skill. Although one wonders how much skill is involved. Yes, success requires a decent amount of knowledge about the players and the sport. It is still mostly a game of chance because of the unexpected nature of sports. Still, it requires a level of strategy and knowledge that one won’t find at your garden variety slot machine. Additionally, the players who participate have more of an emotional investment than someone playing in an office football pool or filling out a March Madness Bracket, as many did this week.
I am not here to examine whether or not people should categorize fantasy sports as gambling or whether or not that’s a bad thing. The main blowback against fantasy sports being gambling comes from daily fantasy sports companies DraftKings and FanDuel. It isn’t much of a surprise considering DFS’ were banned in at least five states because of the held belief that DFS’ are gambling (they are). The defenses people make regarding DFS’ status as a game of skill is interesting considering many people who win big money are “tiny elite equipped with elaborate statistical modeling and automated tools that can manage hundreds of entries at once and identify the weakest opponents.”
Even if fantasy sports both traditional and daily end up getting recognized as gambling, would that change how people feel about the games. Part of the reason people gamble is for the thrill and for their escapist nature. In other words, some people gamble for the same reason people watch sports, play video games or paint. Obviously gambling provides more risks. The likes of FanDuel, DraftKings and other games like them would have to be regulated to keep them from bleeding people dry and misleading them about their chances of winning.
Despite the verbiage and debates, it is hard to look at fantasy sports today and not think of it as gambling. Honestly, sports in general has long been tethered to gambling. Part of the reason teams release injury reports is for gambling purposes. When you look up a game and see a number like -10 or terms like “over/under” followed by a number, it all ties back to gambling. Heck, people can even bet on things like who wins the coin toss in the Super Bowl. Fantasy sports is a form of gambling, which makes it as much apart of the sports culture as anything else.
