Five years after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a non-binding opinion stating participation in daily fantasy sports is considered “illegal gambling,” the issue remains murky with no definitive answer to whether online sports betting is legal in Texas. Following a recent filing of a House bill that would define daily fantasy sports as a game of skill, CBS 11 Dallas-Fort Worth spoke with Jackson Walker partner Bob Latham about the state’s anti-gambling laws and the legality of participating in a daily fantasy sports league.

“It comes down to what you think a daily fantasy sports league is. Where do you draw the line between skill and chance? Most lawyers could probably make the argument on both sides,” Bob said. “The way you can get a definitive answer in Texas is by the Legislature.”

To read more, view the CBS 11 Dallas-Fort Worth report “Will Texas Punt Again On Legalizing Daily Fantasy Sports?”

Meet Bob

Robert P. Latham has distinguished himself in multiple practice areas, including commercial litigation, media law, and intellectual property litigation, and he chairs the latter two practice areas at Jackson Walker. Bob’s trial practice also involves complex commercial disputes as well as unfair competition, securities, probate, employment, banking, real estate, telecommunications, energy, international, and class action matters. Bob is also a published author and columnist, and he has spoken internationally on matters relating to free speech, technology, intellectual property litigation, and sports. In recognition of his practice, Bob has been listed among The Best Lawyers in America under Commercial Litigation, Litigation – First Amendment, Litigation – Intellectual Property, and Sports Law among other categories, and he was named Dallas/Fort Worth’s “Lawyer of the Year” for Sports Law in Best Lawyers’ 2021 edition.

In addition to his work with World Rugby, Bob serves on the International Board of ARTICLE 19, the Board of Directors of the Dallas All Sports Association, and the Governance Committee of the American Bar Association Forum on Communications Law. He is also a former president of the Media Law Resource Center Defense Counsel Section.