NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — It’s officially fantasy football season and fantasy sports betting, in general, has become a mainstay in Tennessee.

Fantasy sports betting became legal in Tennessee in 2016. And no, we're not talking about your ESPN fantasy football team: a free and super addicting way to gain bragging rights over your friends. 

No, we're talking those daily fantasy bets people make on an imaginary group of players. There's big cash prizes, but also state guidelines to follow.  

“We step in as the regulator of fantasy sports when you are paying an entry fee to assemble that imaginary team of athletes with the licensed operators that we regulate," explained Stephanie Maxwell with Tennessee’s Sports Wagering Council. 

Tennessee has 18 licensed fantasy sports operators, and that list is only growing. With fantasy sports, Tennessee allows people to bet against other participants; you’re not allowed to bet against the house. 

You can also start at a younger age than standard sports gambling. 

“You have to be 18 to bet legally. You have to be geolocated to Tennessee as well,” detailed Maxwell. “And then, similar to sports betting, you want to make sure that you are betting with a licensed fantasy sports operator.” 

Maxwell said the betting industry is hard to predict nowadays, but she does expect operators to evolve the benefits of fantasy play.

“They will continue to create new games, they will continue to try to be creative to make it more fun and interesting for the bettors, and I think there will continue to be more and more players in the market, because there are lower barriers to entry in fantasy sports. It’s not as expensive to get it started,” said Maxwell. 

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) betting is legal, in some capacity, in 45 states. That’s according to multiple sports betting websites. 

As major sports networks actively promote betting more and more, News 2 asked Maxwell whether that makes their work on the counsel more challenging

“The advertising is just part of these companies doing business and trying to get their share of the market,” answered Maxwell. “We do, as part of licensing, review ads and promotions. They do have to comply with our regulations.” 

Overall, Maxwell described fantasy sports growth in Tennessee as simply, “exponential.” 

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/special-reports/daily-fantasy-sports-in-tennessee-what-to-know-when-you-bet/