In another supplemental filing offered by the DOJ and the US Attorney’s Office in the lawsuit brought by New Hampshire Lottery and entities, the Justice Department Wire Act opinion evades the question of whether the re-re-interpreted law applies to those lotteries. In the most recent filing, submitted on April 25, DOJ attorneys again try to have it both ways. In response to New Hampshire’s most recent filing regarding the reach of the term “whoever”, which is an important legal point within the 1961 act, the DOJ continues to dispute New Hampshire’s assertions and motion for summary judgment. Instead, the DOJ…

Colorado sports betting could become a reality as soon as next May, if a recently introduced bill on the matter gains traction in the state Legislature and voters approve the legalization of sports gambling in the upcoming November vote. Democratic House Majority Leader Alec Garnett and Republican Minority Leader Patrick Neville introduced the bill late on Thursday. The piece of legislation, if passed, would place a sports betting question on the November ballot. State residents would be asked whether a 10% flat tax on net proceeds from regulated sports gambling should be implemented. The ballot question will be concerned with…

The Department of Justice has claimed that its revised stance on the 1961 Wire Act did not address the legality of interstate and online lotteries, with a review into the matter ongoing. The claim, supported by a memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, suggests that the DoJ is still examining whether state lottery operations should fall under the Wire Act’s jurisdiction. As a result, the Department claims that there are no grounds for a legal challenge, which should therefore be dismissed. Rostenstein’s memo states that Department of Justice attorneys should refrain from enforcing the revised Wire Act stance, which…

A North Carolina sports betting bill that would allow the activity on tribal lands has been passed by the state Senate, and transferred to the House of Representatives. S154, introduced by Republican Senator Jim Davis, would allow tribal gaming facilities to offer sports betting alongside other forms of gambling currently permitted under existing compacts with the state. It was passed by the Senate at its second reading, with 43 Senators voting in favor and seven against. This means the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, currently the only tribe that has agreed a compact with the state, would be able to…

An Iowa sports betting bill was advanced by lawmakers through a crucial Senate committee last week, setting up a likely vote before the entire chamber in the coming days and pushing legal wagering on step closer to fruition. Following the recommendations of a three-person subcommittee meeting earlier this week, the Senate Ways and Means Committee passed SF 366, which would allow licensed riverboat casinos and racetracks to take wagers on sporting events. More significantly, it allows third-party online vendors into the market, drastically expanding the potential for betting on sports in Iowa. If passed, Iowa could become just the seventh…

Governor Ralph Northam has signed into law a bill that opens the door for Virginia casino gaming, as well as providing a route to law for sports betting in the state. Northam has ratified SB1126, filed by Senator Louise Lucas in December 2018, which allows cities to establish casinos, provided they meet a series of conditions. Cities are eligible to host the venues if they have an unemployment rate of at least 4%, a poverty rate of 20%, and had experienced a population decline of at least 7% between 1990 and 2016. Tribal casinos, meanwhile, would be permitted in cities…