Pierre Garcon Reportedly Drops Lawsuit Against FanDuel: Latest Details, Reaction

Months after filing a class-action lawsuit against daily fantasy sports website FanDuel, Washington Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garcon has dropped the suit, according to Bloomberg News' Scott Soshnick on Tuesday. 

When Garcon filed the lawsuit in late October, a personal statement released by his representatives alleged that "FanDuel knowingly and improperly exploits the popularity and performance of Garcon, along with all the other National Football League (“NFL”) players at offensive skilled positions without their authority or a valid license," according to the Washington Post's Mike Jones.     

In essence, Garcon claimed FanDuel was using his likeness and the likeness of his peers to drive up profits, a tactic he deemed was worthy of compensation. 

At the time Garcon filed the suit, FanDuel issued a statement indicating it had no intention of changing its operating procedures. 

"We believe this suit is without merit," FanDuel spokeswoman Justine Sacco said, per ESPN.com. "There is established law that fantasy operators may use player names and statistics for fantasy contests. FanDuel looks forward to continuing to operate our contests which sports fans everywhere have come to love."

In October, Jones also noted the Redskins have had a marketing agreement with FanDuel since the 2014 season, while Garcon previously had a social media marketing partnership with the website that has since ended. 

Garcon's decision to drop his lawsuit is a piece of positive news for the daily fantasy sports industry, which has encountered legal resistance from several states over the past couple of months.

Most recently, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ruled Tuesday that daily fantasy sports constitute gambling and are subsequently illegal, according to ESPN.com's David Purdum and Darren Rovell. Texas joined Illinois and New York as states that have taken steps to regulate daily fantasy sports, while Nevada requires daily fantasy sites like FanDuel to obtain gambling licenses in order to operate within the state.