In the latest move in the year’s shrinking of their business, DraftKings and FanDuel agreed Thursday to suspend indefinitely all games involving college sports, effective next week after college basketball’s Final Four ends.
The move is the “best path forward” and comes after “productive” discussions with the NCAA, the two behemoths of online daily-fantasy sports said, according to National Public Radio.
“As a part of a new agreement with the NCAA, we have decided to voluntarily and indefinitely suspend college sports contests in all states upon the conclusion of this week’s college basketball games,” Fan Duel said.
College football and basketball are much less lucrative for daily-fantasy sites than are the professional equivalents, and the move will affect the industry little as it comes under increasing pressure in many states to be regulated as gambling enterprises.
Still the NCAA praised the move to end money-making games surrounding amateur contests.
“This action culminates months of hard work between all parties to reach a place that is good for amateur sports and most importantly, the young people who participate,” NCAA President Mark Emmert told ESPN.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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