Tennessee House Bill HB2946

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/31/24
• Refer: 2/5/24
• Refer: 3/6/24

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 49, Part 1 and Title 66, Chapter 29, Part 1, relative to sports wagering.

Impact

The bill significantly alters the current treatment of dormant betting accounts under the Tennessee Unclaimed Property Act. While it retains the licensee’s obligation to attempt to return the unused balance to bettors, it mitigates the risk of funds being remitted to the state treasury without sufficient effort to contact the bettor first. This amendment illustrates a shift towards greater protective measures for bettors, ensuring that they have the opportunity to reclaim their funds rather than seeing them lost to state unclaimed property after inactivity.

Summary

House Bill 2946 amends existing Tennessee law regarding sports wagering, focusing specifically on how unused account balances of bettors are handled. The bill establishes that if a bettor's account is dormant for three years or more, the licensee is permitted to remit the unused balance back to the bettor through methods consistent with how the account was funded. Notably, this bill aims to shield bettors from losing their funds due to inactivity periods by preventing licensees from confiscating or forfeiting balances under such circumstances.

Sentiment

The sentiment surrounding HB2946 appears to be largely supportive among those advocating for consumer protections in sports wagering. Advocates argue that the legislation is a positive step towards securing bettor rights and ensuring they do not lose access to their funds due to dormant account status. Conversely, there may be concerns among some licensees regarding the administrative burden of tracking and communicating with bettors over long periods. Thus, while the legislation is generally seen as a consumer-friendly enhancement, it introduces new obligations for licensees.

Contention

A notable point of contention in the discussions surrounding HB2946 revolves around the balance of protecting consumer interests while also considering the operational implications for sports betting licensees. Critics of the legislation could argue that while the intent to protect bettors is commendable, the requirements imposed on licensees to pursue communication and remittance may prove burdensome or impractical in some cases. This underscores a broader debate on regulation efficiency versus consumer protection in emerging industries like sports wagering.