In Deal With NCAA, Fantasy-Sports Sites Suspend Collegiate Contests

DraftKings and FanDuel, two giants of the daily fantasy sports industry, are suspending all contests involving college athletics as part of an agreement with the NCAA, reports ESPN.

“We appreciate and commend DraftKings and FanDuel’s action to stop offering contests involving college, high school and youth sports,” Mark Emmert, the NCAA’s president, said in a written statement.

The agreement comes after months of debate between the association and the two companies. The NCAA views fantasy sports as a type of gambling, and while it hasn’t taken a legal stance against such companies, the association is staunchly opposed to gambling on college sports. College football and basketball make up a small portion of FanDuel’s revenue — just 3 percent. The companies are waging fights in several states to clarify the legality of their competitions, including those that involve amateur sports contests.

“We have made clear at every point in this national debate that daily fantasy sports competition should not be allowed to be conducted using college, high-school, and youth-sports programs,” Donald Remy, the NCAA’s chief legal officer, said in a statement to ESPN.