As far as states in the USA go, North Dakota has had a relatively gambling-friendly attitude when it comes to gaming legislation for the last 50 years. While residents aren’t legally allowed to gamble at online casinos and place bets on sports matches (yet), they are still free to compete in Daily Fantasy Sports leagues despite the fact it has never been explicitly legalized. In this article, we’ll explain why.

Todd Winkler, Editor at online-gambling.com

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Todd Winkler has been an editor at online-gambling.com for 6 years. His focus is on guides and articles about poker games, blackjack, and DFS. With relatives in New Zealand, he is also well aware of the gambling industry in the country.

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Daily Fantasy in North Dakota

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is legal in North Dakota, not because of any changes to state legislation declaring it so, but because of a federal definition that was provided for it in 2006. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of that year deemed DFS to be a game of skill, and therefore not illegal. This is not the case, however, if individual states have specific laws that deem DFS or gambling, in general, to be illegal. Thankfully for North Dakota, this is not the case, and fans are free to enjoy any DFS league of their choosing.

Online Daily Fantasy Sports in North Dakota – Overview

Back in 2015, North Dakota’s Attorney General issued a statement on Daily Fantasy Sports betting in the state, saying that, “If it’s a game of chance, it’s not likely legal. And if it’s a game of skill, then it would likely be legal.” He then went on to describe both scenarios, hinting that due to the research about their selected players’ history and skill that good DFS betters will undertake, it’s more likely that DFS is actually a game of skill.

This has been about as much that has been spoken on the matter, with no legislation since then appearing in order to provide even more clarity as to whether or not DFS is legal. It seems as though most lawmakers and stakeholders are happy to allow DFS operators to continue in the state, and signing up for North Dakotans couldn’t be any easier.

Below, we’ve listed the most popular DFS leagues in North Dakota and how they’re played.

Online Daily Fantasy NFL – A Bona Fide Touch Down

While there areno National Football League teams located in North Dakota, this doesn’t mean that North Dakotas aren’t fans of the league like the rest of the USA. In the popular NFL Fantasy League, contestants are asked to build a team of 9 NFL players and put them head-to-head against other contestants’ teams. Points are scored depending on the real-life performance of players, which means that if your offense scores a Running Touchdown, for example, you earn 6 points, while if your Defense makes an Interception you can earn 2 points.

Online Daily Fantasy NBA – A Slam Dunk For North Dakota!

Another favorite sport to watch for North Dakotans is basketball. The NBA Fantasy League sees contestants drafting a lineup of 8 players. Scoring is based on the real-life performances of your drafted players in that round e.g. 1 point for every point scored, 2 points for a block. To keep things fair, contestants must stick to salary caps every week while building their team – but as players perform better, their prices increase.

Online Daily Fantasy MLB – Batter Up – Who Will You Choose?

North Dakota residents love the great American sport of baseball, and they no doubt love playing it in fantasy sports too! MLB Fantasy asks contestants to build teams of 10 players, with a limit of 5 hitters. Points can be earned for stealing bases, home run, etc.

Online Daily Fantasy NHL – A Force To Be Reckoned With

North Dakota may not have any teams in the National Hockey League, but they are noted for their strong Fargo Force junior team that represents the state in the USHL. Their sportsmanship is so good that in 2018, they were awarded the USHL Organization of the Year Award! When not enjoying the USHL, North Dakotans can play the NHL Fantasy League, where they can draft teams of 9 players to battle it out with other players’ drafted teams either daily or weekly.

College Fantasy Sport – A Fightin’ Chance

North Dakota may not have any teams in any major professional leagues, but they are home to one of the most successful collegiate athletic teams in the nation. The University of North Dakota’s Fighting Hawks compete in the NCAA Division I Championships, with their Ice Hockey team being the most celebrated in their whole program. In fact, the Fighting Hawks are regarded to be one of the best hockey programs in the country, with 8 NCAA I Division Championships to their name.

While some states ban the drafting of college leagues in fantasy sports, the lack of state regulation on DFS means that this is not the case for North Dakota. This means that those wanting to include their favorite FIghting Hawks in their fantasy college draft are in luck – unless they’re beaten to them by their competition!

Timeline of Daily Fantasy Sports Legislation

While North Dakota spent the better half of the 20th century with a very strict anti-gambling mindset, the state has since been progressing rapidly to allow its citizens the chance to enjoy all forms of gambling, whether games of skill or games of chance. With DFS practically legal, lawmakers are now looking to legalize sports betting – which if current bills are successful, could happen as early as 2019.

Find out more details in the following highlights. North Dakota’s gambling history is definitely full of interesting milestones and events that played a major role for what the situation is nowadays. Visit our page for North Dakota gambling is you want to find more information on the gambling situation in the state.

Legal Daily Fantasy Betting Age in North Dakota

DFS operators only allow players that are 18 years and older to play in North Dakota, which is the same for participation in the state lottery and bingo. Players must be 21 years old to gamble at tribal casinos and at racing tracks. If a player is caught gambling underage, it is considered a class B misdemeanor and is punishable with no longer than 30 days in prison and/or a fine of $1,500.

• DFS Betting Age
  Players must be over 18 years old to play on DFS Sites in North Dakota.
• Alcohol Age
  The legal drinking age in North Dakota is 21 years old.
• Weed Age
  Recreational smoking of cannabis is still illegal in North Dakota.

Is Daily Fantasy Betting Legal Outside of the State?

Daily Fantasy League betting is legal in most states in the USA, with only nine states that continue to block it. Other states yet to legalize include Hawaii, Arizona and Idaho. Some of these states are still trying to figure out if the UIGEA’s definition of DFS as a game of skill clashes with their legal definitions and are attempting to make changes, while others are bogged down by tricky legislative hurdles that may not be resolved for some years. There are even a couple of states, like Hawaii, that are completely against all forms of gambling and are showing no signs to make DFS legal in the near future.

The Best Fantasy Sports App in North Dakota

Do you prefer to do most of your online activities with a mobile phone rather than a laptop or PC? You’re in luck. Most major DFS websites have either created mobile apps or have developed websites that are fully mobile optimized. This allows you to make drafts and bets while you’re out and about, without the hassle of loading up your laptop. This is the most convenient way to play, so we recommend downloading an app today. Based on our experience, we suggest downloading the DraftKings app for DFS betting due to its ease of use and speed.

Taxes on Daily Fantasy Winnings: Legal Overview

The winnings from gambling are taxable and the tax rate is 25%. The federal taxes are important because North Dakota considers gambling winnings to be classed as income and are taxed accordingly to residents’ tax classes. Visit the website of the IRS or the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner if you want to learn more about it.

Upcoming Regulation Changes to Be Aware Of

Since North Dakota’s Attorney General made his first statement on DFS legalization in 2015, there hasn’t been much more action taken by lawmakers to officially legalize it. There’s no telling if this will happen at all, but an argument could definitely be made for lawmakers to do this. For one, by legalizing DFS, the government would future-proof the industry and clear up any uncertainty around the issue.

As well as this, legalization tends to lead to regulation, which can benefit both the contestants and the state with consumer protection laws and an outline of tax revenues that could be achieved. Until then, the next biggest battle in terms of gambling in the state looks to be sports betting, which according to many experts is a near certainty in North Dakota in the next two years.

Daily Fantasy Guides for Nearby States

• South Dakota
• Montana
• Minnesota
• Wyoming