1350-05-.03
Initial Application For Licensure
Cite as Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1350-05-.03
(1)
Application information. Any person seeking to be a licensed Fantasy sports operator shall
submit an application to the Sports Wagering Council, using a form available from the Sports
Wagering Council, with the following information:
(a)
Name. The name of the applicant.
(b)
Primary contact. The designated contact person for the applicant, a telephone number,
address, and email address for that contact.
(c)
Location. The physical address of the applicant's principal place of business.
(d)
Disclosure of ownership. To the extent the information is within the control of the Fantasy
sports operator, a complete disclosure of the true ownership of the Fantasy sports
operator as follows:
1.
For limited liability companies (hereinafter, “LLC”), including professional LLCs,
provide the full name, address, and telephone number of each member of the LLC
having an ownership interest of five percent (5%) or more of the LLC. If the
member is not a natural person, disclose the true ownership of the member (and
successive levels of ownership, if necessary) until a natural person or another
corporate entity is disclosed. If another corporate entity is disclosed, provide a
complete disclosure of that corporate entity’s ownership in accordance with the
specific rules for that entity contained herein (and successive levels of ownership,
if necessary).
2.
For general, limited, or limited liability partnerships, provide the full name, address,
and telephone number of each partner having an ownership interest of five percent
(5%) or more of the partnership. If the partner is not a natural person, disclose the
true ownership of the partner (and successive levels of ownership, if necessary)
until a natural person, or another corporate entity, is disclosed. If another corporate
entity is disclosed, provide a complete disclosure of that corporate entity’s
ownership in accordance with the specific rules for that entity contained herein
(and successive levels of ownership, if necessary).
3.
For a corporation, provide the full name, address, and telephone number of any
natural person or entity having an ownership interest of five percent (5%) or more
of the outstanding shares of the corporation. If a corporate entity is disclosed,
provide a complete disclosure of that corporate entity’s ownership in accordance
with the specific rules for that entity contained herein (and successive levels of
ownership, if necessary).
4.
The intent of this rule is to require, to the fullest extent that the individual or
corporate structure of an applicant allows, disclosure of names of individual natural
persons who have a significant ownership interest in a Fantasy sports operator.
(e)
Criminal Record. The applicant’s criminal record, if any, as specified below:
1.
Information regarding the criminal record, if any, of the following individuals, if
those individuals are involved in the day-to-day management of fantasy sports
contests and/or operations, and as applicable to the entity’s corporate structure:
(i)
Each partner of a partnership holding five percent (5%) or more of the
partnership;
RULES RELATED TO THE FANTASY SPORTS ACT
CHAPTER 1350-05
(ii)
Each member of a limited liability company holding five percent (5%) or
more of the LLC;
(iii)
Each director and officer of a non-publicly held corporation;
(iv)
Each director and officer of a publicly held corporation, and/or operations;
and
(v)
Each stockholder of five percent (5%) or more of a corporation.
2.
An applicant, and the individuals identified in subpart (e)1. above, shall have a duty
to disclose on the application whether they have been convicted of a crime (other
than traffic violations and convictions that have been expunged), and if so, the
nature of the crime, the date, place of the conviction, and the legal disposition of
the case.
3.
An applicant, and the individuals identified in subpart (e)1. above, shall obtain a
criminal background check (an “Identity History Summary”) from the Federal
Bureau of Investigation. The applicant must submit, with its application, either the
completed Identity History Summary, or documentation showing that the Identity
History Summary was requested prior to submitting the application.
4.
Evidence of an applicant’s (including any of the individuals identified in subpart
(e)1. above) conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere for a felony, or a
misdemeanor involving fraud, dishonesty, breach of trust, gambling, or moral
turpitude, within the ten (10) years prior to the date of application shall be grounds
for denial of an application.
(f)
Interest in other Fantasy sports operators. Disclosure of any ownership interest held by
(as applicable in accordance with the corporate structure of the entity) a policy making
manager, a partner of a partnership, a member of a limited liability company, a director
or officer of a corporation, a stockholder of five percent (5%) or more of a corporation, in
any Fantasy sports operator, or any entity previously or currently licensed by another
entity that licenses Fantasy sports operators or similar entities.
(g)
Description of operations. A description and address of any physical facility operated by
the Fantasy sports operator, if any, in this state, the number of employees, and the nature
of the facility's business.
(h)
Information regarding player deposits.
1.
The applicant’s policies and procedures for limiting each player to one continuous
and active account.
2.
The applicant’s policies and procedures for limiting individual player deposits to no
more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per month.
3.
The applicant’s policies and procedures for temporarily or permanently increasing
a player’s deposit limit, at the request of the player, to an amount above two
thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per month.
(i)
Information and documentation regarding the reserve, segregated accounts, or Escrow
Fund Account established pursuant to Rule 1350-05-.08(2).
(j)
Information regarding verification of identity. A copy of the policies and procedures
adopted to verify the identity of players seeking to establish accounts.
RULES RELATED TO THE FANTASY SPORTS ACT
CHAPTER 1350-05
(k)
Confirmation of tax clearance. A certificate of tax clearance issued by the Commissioner
of the Tennessee Department of Revenue which states that the applicant is current on
all taxes, fees, and penalties to the satisfaction of the Commissioner; or a statement that
the applicant has no current obligation to the Commissioner because it is a newly
registered entity in Tennessee.
(l)
Confirmation of registration with the Division of Business and Charitable Organizations.
A statement that the applicant is registered with the Secretary of State’s Division of
Business and Charitable Organizations, and the applicant’s control number issued by
the Division of Business and Charitable Organizations.
(m)
Financial information. The Fantasy sports operator shall provide the following initial
financial information:
1.
The total amount of adjusted revenue earned by the Fantasy sports operator for
the prior fiscal year.
2.
A calculation of the resident percentage for the prior fiscal year.
3.
The total amount of all winnings earned by fantasy sports players (including non-
Tennessee consumers) for the prior fiscal year.
4.
Audited financial statements prepared in accordance with the attestation standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for the most
recent completed fiscal year and audited or unaudited financial statements for the
most recent completed fiscal quarter.
5.
The Sports Wagering Council may inquire regarding additional financial
information, or seek additional financial documentation, within his or her discretion.
(n)
Information and documents concerning operational compliance.
1.
The applicant’s policies and procedures related to the prevention of minor
participation in fantasy sports contests.
2.
The applicant’s policies and procedures related to advertisements, including the
applicant’s policies and procedures related to accurate representations concerning
chances of winning and the number of persons winning.
3.
The applicant’s policies and procedures related to the applicant’s compliance with
the Federal Trade Commission, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and
Testimonials in Advertising, compiled in 16 CFR § 255.
4.
The applicant’s policies and procedures relating to assistance available to problem
gamblers.
5.
The applicant’s policies and procedures relating to implementation and
enforcement of self-limitations and self-exclusions requested by players.
6.
The applicant’s policies and procedures related to protection of player deposits,
including policies and procedures related to the following:
(i)
Prevention of unauthorized withdrawals from player accounts by Fantasy
sports operators or others;
RULES RELATED TO THE FANTASY SPORTS ACT
CHAPTER 1350-05
(ii)
Reporting and responding to complaints by a player regarding the handling
of a player’s account; and
(iii)
Closure of player accounts.
7.
The applicant’s policies and procedures related to account monitoring to prevent
misuse of accounts, including policies and procedures related to the following:
(i)
Detection and prevention of misuse of proxy services;
(ii)
Location verification;
(iii)
Prevention of the use of unauthorized scripts; and
(iv)
Prevention of the use of pre-selected teams.
8.
The applicant’s policies and procedures related to the prevention of unauthorized
play by the following individuals:
(i)
Fantasy sports operator employees, Fantasy sports operator contractors,
and any spouse, children, or parents of any sports operator employee or
contractor.
(ii)
Professional or amateur athletes whose individual statistics or performance
may be used to determine any part of the outcome of a fantasy sports
contest; and
(iii)
Any sports agent, team employee, referee, or league official associated with
any athletic competition that is the subject of fantasy sports contests.
9.
The applicant’s policies and procedures relating to fantasy sports contests for
beginning players, including policies and procedures related to the following:
(i)
Explanation of contest play;
(ii)
Identification of highly experienced players, including symbols or other
identification used;
(iii)
Recommending beginning player only contests and low cost private
contests;
(iv)
Percentage of contests open only to beginning players and that exclude
highly experienced players;
(v)
Prevention of access by highly experienced players to beginner player
contests directly or through a proxy; and
(vi)
Suspension of accounts of highly experienced players who participate in
contests for beginning players only.
10.
The applicant’s policies and procedures relating to the locking of fantasy sports
contests.
11.
The applicant’s policies and procedures relating to the restriction of the number of
entries per fantasy sports contest per player.
RULES RELATED TO THE FANTASY SPORTS ACT
CHAPTER 1350-05
(2)
The application shall be signed by an officer or director, member, or partner, as applicable in
accordance with the Fantasy sports operator’s corporate structure.
(3)
The applicant shall submit a nonrefundable application fee in the form of a check made payable
to the Sports Wagering Council in the amount of three hundred dollars ($300). Review of the
applicant’s application will not begin until receipt of the application fee.
(4)
The application, supporting documentation, and fee may be hand delivered or mailed to the
Office of the Sports Wagering Council, Attn: Director; at 312 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., 8th Floor,
Nashville, Tennessee 37243.