With the recent challenges to Internet gambling in the United States, a pannel discussion at the Global Gaming Expo addressed the issue this week. Moderated by Lloyd Levenson, Chairman of the Casino and iGaming Law practice group, this panel of experts discussed the issues facing iGaming in the U.S. and the future of the industry. Panel members Susan Hensel, Director of Licensing for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board; Matthew Katz, CEO of CAMS, LLC; and Michael Choen, Caesars Interactive Entertainment began discussing the current legislation being considered by the Pennsylvania Senate as the state is poised to be the next…

In what has been a surprising move (considering how late in the legislative session the action comes and the lack of previous interest in the subject), Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas has filed a bill on the Senate agenda that looks to be taking up the action of either banning online gaming and poker or putting some teeth into the law that is used against the industry, the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006. Cotton’s bill, which was filed on Friday afternoon, is S. 3376 and it has been filed with the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, meaning…

Two men have appeared in court charged with offenses under the Gambling Act in what is believed to be the first prosecution involving betting on video games. Craig Douglas and Dylan Rigby, who are both from Essex, are charged with promoting a lottery and advertising unlawful gambling. Mr Douglas makes gaming videos on YouTube under the pseudonym Nepenthez. He is also charged with inviting children to gamble. The two men appeared at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court. The case has been adjourned until 14 October. The Gambling Commission, which brought the prosecution, has been looking into the rise of video game and…

David Baazov, former CEO of Montreal online gaming firm Amaya, benefited from a kickback scheme in which he received payments in exchange for sharing privileged information about company acquisitions with friends and their families, Quebec’s securities regulator alleges. The allegations against Baazov, charged earlier this year following an investigation into accusations of insider trading, are contained in an amended 105-page document that L’Autorite des marches financiers (AMF) filed with the independent tribunal overseeing Quebec’s financial sector. “Several sophisticated agreements were negotiated even before the infractions were committed to pay kickbacks to the tipsters,” alleges the document. The document was filed…

The CRTC has told Quebec that the province cannot lawfully order Internet companies to block people’s access to certain websites without first obtaining the federal regulator’s approval. CRTC secretary general Danielle May-Cuconato told Quebec on Thursday about the broadcast regulator’s preliminary decision. The Public Interest Advocacy Centre filed an application with the CRTC in July asking it to state its position regarding the new law passed by the Quebec government. The law forces Internet companies to block citizens’ access to online gambling websites not authorized by the provincial government. Canada’s wireless telecom lobby has challenged Quebec’s legislation in court, calling…

In May, the Canadian province of Québec passed its budget bill, Bill 74, which is normally very boring to the average person, but this bill contained a twist that outraged a lot of people. Bill 74 authorized the province to require internet service providers (ISPs) to block any online gambling site that was not licensed by the provincial government. This differs from other laws we are used to in various countries and states that simply say that unlicensed sites are illegal; this is actually a form of internet censorship, deputizing the ISPs to play the role of sheriff. Québec Finance…