In the past decade, esports has become one of the fastest growing trends in the traditional sports betting world. Titles like Dota 2, League of Legends and Counter Strike Global Offensive have been added to many famous sportsbooks, and the popularity of esports betting is growing at a phenomenal rate. But with the news that artificial intelligence software has just managed to beat a team of some of the best esports players in the business, it raises a few interesting questions about how competitive gaming will be viewed at sports betting sites. Things came to a head last week when…

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…

The road on the Wire Act lawsuit began on Thursday, as arguments were heard regarding the Department of Justice opinion on the Wire Act. In what came as a surprise to no one, the DOJ tried unsuccessfully to have the lawsuit dismissed during arguments. Most experts saw this coming after a memo issued earlier in the week by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. He tried to put the kibosh on the New Hampshire Lottery lawsuit by stating the new opinion of the Wire Act did not include state lotteries. Judge Paul Barbadoro, who was overseeing Thursday’s arguments, did not agree…

Maybe the biggest thing that jumped out from the NHL’s official press release Thursday announcing William Hill as the official sports betting partner of the league, but this item: “Betting on NHL games has increased 38% during the 2018-19 season at William Hill’s Nevada Sports Books. ” As the sport that has always lagged far behind the other big three North American pro leagues when it comes to the overall betting take as sports books, this statistic might be the most encouraging aspect of all for a league that once was wary of dipping its toes into the world of…

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…