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 challenging the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) opinion that the 1961 Wire Act applies to lottery sales over the Internet.
“Today New Hampshire is taking action to protect public education in New Hampshire,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “The opinion issued by DOJ puts millions of dollars of funding at risk, and we have a responsibility to stand up for our students.”
“The New Hampshire Lottery has a responsibility to support education in New Hampshire,” New Hampshire Lottery Executive Director Charlie McIntyre said. “Just last year, the New Hampshire Lottery generated $87.5 million in net profits, all of which supports education in New Hampshire, and we expect to generate more than $90 million for education this year.
This reversal by the DOJ on the Wire Act opinion puts that support for education in question. Since 1964, the New Hampshire Lottery has had a significant financial impact on the state. For the past 54 years, the New Hampshire Lottery has recorded more than $6.6 billion in lottery sales and other earnings, with over $4.4 billion paid in prizes and other cost of sales. Net proceeds to education total over $2 billion to date.
The complaint filed today with the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire is captioned New Hampshire Lottery Commission v. William Barr, in his official capacity as Attorney General, et al. Additionally, a motion for summary judgment was filed as part of the complaint.
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