MADISON, Wis. – The Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) has officially broadened its scope and changed its name to the Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association (FSGA). The move comes in response to a mandate from its membership to expand the association’s focus to include sports gaming as well as embrace the rapid legal and technological changes facing the broader sports industry.
The FSGA will continue to be the leading association for the fantasy sports industry and its new focus will provide a forum for companies that offer games, services, analytics and content for legal contests of skill, sports gaming and non-sports contests.
“Our 21-year track record of legal and legislative victories while helping fantasy sports businesses grow speaks for itself,” said FSGA president Paul Charchian. “With the legalization of sports betting, now is the perfect time for us to expand our mission and help spur growth for companies in both industries.”
The FSGA will also continue to work with state legislators to press for wider legalization of both fantasy sports and sports wagering. Currently, 20 states have formally legalized fantasy sports and 11 have legalized sports betting. Additionally, over 20 states have active legislation to legalize one or the other.
In conjunction with the announcement – read more in the FAQ below – the FSGA rolled out a new website, https://thefsga.org/, and social media handles:
- Twitter: @FSGAtweets
- Facebook: @theFSGA
- LinkedIn: Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association
Additionally, via election and appointment, the FSGA has expanded its Board of Directors to include experts from the sports gaming industry who will inject their knowledge into association initiatives. Those individuals are:
- Ian Epstein, PropSwap
- Matt Holt, US Integrity
- Dan Kustelski, Chalkline Sports
- Chad Millman, The Action Network
- Brian Musburger, VSiN
- Gavin Walters, Gambling.com Group·
The debut event of the FSGA will be its June 27-28 Summer Conference in New York City, with two days of learning, research and networking. The agenda includes some big companies and big names, including the NBA, Buffalo Wild Wings, FanDuel, William Hill and The Action Network. Event registration opens Monday morning, April 8. In the meantime, download the 2019 Sponsorship Prospectus to view exciting sponsorship opportunities.
Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association FAQ
Why is the FSGA doing this?
The rules of the road for sports entertainment in the U.S. have changed. Membership wants to take advantage of the new opportunities and markets that will arise as many U.S. states enable sports betting and other paid contests. The association wants to allow its members to network with the dealmakers in these new markets and to collectively work to ensure that the new laws allow members to grow their businesses.
Are we treating fantasy sports as gambling now?
Not at all. Fantasy sports contests are not gambling under the laws in the vast majority of states. They are considered games of skill. The FSGA is going to work hard to maintain that distinction so that fantasy sports legislation doesn’t get lumped in with sports betting legislation. Fantasy sports companies need laws that have lower taxes, fees, and less regulation than gambling products.
What are the FSGA’s goals for new markets?
CORE POLICY PRINCIPLES
- The FSGA maintains fantasy sports are games of skill
- The FSGA is for open markets for regulated fantasy sports, sports betting and gaming
- The FSGA is for taxes and fee structures that work for companies of all sizes
- The FSGA is for companies to be able to offer products, games, and contests online
What are the mission and vision statements for the FSGA?
VISION: Connecting fans to the sports they love.
MISSION: To support fantasy sports, sports gaming, and new forms of fan engagement.
Why “gaming?” Isn’t this just “sports betting?”
The FSGA is focused on all the new markets emerging in sports: sports betting, fantasy-sports hybrid games and non-sports skill contests.
Is the FSGA competing with the American Gaming Association (AGA)?
No, the AGA represents the casino industry. The FSGA is focused on fantasy sports and gaming entertainment.
Is the FSGA expecting sports betting to marginalize fantasy and that’s why it’s doing this?
No. Fantasy sports will be helped by the legalization of sports betting and, as was seen in the 2018 FSTA-Ipsos study, there’s tremendous overlap between the two. The expansion of the association’s focus will offer a welcome new forum for companies that offer games, services, analytics, and content for both legal contests of skill and sports gaming. This will provide an opportunity for the FSGA to evolve and grow by allowing a broader set of companies to join the association. The FSGA will provide members with the ability to stay informed, learn, connect, network, and grow within this expanding marketplace. There are tremendous gameplay similarities, shared vendors, shared customers, and shared legal goals between the industries.
How can I get involved?
The FSGA welcomes all volunteers, especially as an outreach program is initiated to attract new member organizations. Please contact FSGA Executive Director Christina McCoy at cmccoy@thefsga.org for more information.
About FSGA
The Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association is the only national organization representing the interests of fantasy sports and gaming companies. We are the voice for more than nearly 60 million fantasy sports players in the United States and Canada, and for the companies that provide services, news, information and competition to support this growing industry. Our members are sports and gaming enthusiasts, with companies that range from small startups to large media corporations. Our mission is to provide our members with essential research and data, networking opportunities and collective action to help them reach their potential. For more information, visit https://thefsga.org/.