Tag: Wire Act opinion
Could DOJ Change Wire Act Opinion Again?
Several months ago the US Department of Justice rattled the online gambling industry in America by reversing its 2011 Wire Act opinion which held the legislation only applied to sports betting. The new decision by the DOJ put a lot of state legislators in an uncomfortable position, and a legally murky area when it came to deciding the fate of regulating online gambling. Earlier this month, the New Hampshire Lottery Commission fought the DOJ’s move in court, and Judge Paul Barbadoro issued a ruling is support of the their position saying that the Wire Act “…only applies to transmissions related…
DOJ Fails to Get Wire Act Lawsuit Thrown Out
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…
Justice Department Sued Over Wire Act Opinion
The Justice Department sued over their new Wire Act opinion which threatens online gambling interests. One state lottery has already filed suit in US District Court challenging the DOJ opinion. Not only that, but another state is fed up with the Justice Department bullying and is threatening a lawsuit of their own! Today, Governor Chris Sununu, Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald, and New Hampshire Lottery Executive Director Charlie McIntyre announced that the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office filed a complaint on behalf of the New Hampshire Lottery Commission with the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire…
DOJ Wire Act Opinion “Corrupt and Unethical”
It’s been several weeks since the DOJ Wire Act opinion changed and threatened online gambling, poker and sports betting. Suspicion was that casino mogul (and Republican mega-donor) Sheldon Adelson had a lot to do with the Justice Department decision… and now we know for sure! Plus, now that the connections between Adelson and the DOJ have come to light, state Attorney Generals from New Jersey and Pennsylvania are starting to take action. As the gaming and legal worlds have had time to absorb the new opinion on the Wire Act issued by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel…
Pennsylvania Instructs Casinos on Wire Act Opinion
Pennsylvania gaming regulators are warning their online licensees to ensure their operations are compliant with the new US Department of Justice opinion on the 1961 Wire Act. On Friday, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) issued a memo to its online gambling licensees – none of whom have actually been cleared to launch their local sites – giving them 30 days in which to clarify how their individual operations might be affected by the DOJ’s new view on the Wire Act. On Monday, the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel made public a new legal opinion that the 1961 Wire Act…
Wire Act Opinion Ready to be Reversed by US DoJ
The Department of Justice is preparing an opinion that will likely reverse their previous Wire Act opinion, and state that the act applies to all forms of online gambling… not just sports betting. Online Poker Report learned that the new opinion could come down before the New Year. The exact content of the opinion is unknown, and OPR has not seen the actual opinion. It’s also not a guarantee that the opinion is ultimately issued. The news also comes amid reports that a pair of senators are planning to introduce sports betting legislation as soon as today. That legislation would…
