Tag: department of justice
IGT Sues Justice Department Over Wire Act
In an effort to gain some clarity, IGT sues Justice Department over their refusal to commit on the Federal Wire Act. And yes, this feels like a never ending story. Really, this is a good thing for our industry. Since the Department of Justice was shot down by a Federal Judge over their Wire Act opinion (and again on appeal) they have been very quiet. In fact, the DOJ has said nothing since their defeat. And that’s where the new lawsuit comes in. Since the online gambling business seems to be taking off in the United States (finally), and since…
Justice Department Loses Wire Act Appeal
In a case that has enormous implications for online gambling in America, the US Department of Justice lost their Wire Act appeal against the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. The First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of New Hampshire, upholding the decision of a lower court and driving a nail in the Justice Department newest interpretation of the law. That interpretation could have criminalized interstate online poker and threatened the new, US online gambling industry altogether. Whereas many have insisted that the 1961 Federal Wire Act was always intended to apply to sports betting, the DOJ chose to broaden…
Future of the Wire Act & Interstate Online Gambling
No one could have foreseen the Internet in 1961. And yet, that year an act was passed to prevent organized crime from taking sports bets over the telephone. Now, nearly 60 years later people wonder if the Wire Act will always be a roadblock to interstate online gambling in America. Whether the Act applies to all forms of gambling (or only sports betting) is currently the subject of a court in the First Circuit. But even ignoring the potential broader ramifications, the antiquated law has already proven itself detrimental to the sector’s growth. So what are the chances of getting…
Former Counsel for DOJ Talks Wire Act Lawsuit
We recently interviewed Gregory Brower, former Legislative Counsel for the Justice Department, about the Wire Act lawsuit and pending appeal by the DOJ. You can hear what he had to say about the case and speculation about what could happen next. Mr Brower was also as a state senator in Nevada, a United States Attorney in the state of Nevada, and is a former member of the Nevada Assembly. He is is now in private practice at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. Reasons for Optimism with the Wire Act Lawsuit Those in the online gaming industry have reason to be optimistic…
New Jersey Sues Justice Department Over Online Gambling
New Jersey Sues Justice Department – The State of New Jersey has joined New Hampshire as one of the states to sue the Justice Department over their recent reversal of opinion on the Federal Wire Act. New Jersey had demanded documentation related to their revised interpretation of the act, and the DOJ failed to respond. The Department of Justice reversed its 2011 Wire Act this past January, ruling the law’s prohibition applies to all forms of gambling and not just sports betting. New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and his Pennsylvania counterpart Josh Shapiro hit out at the decision, demanding…
Justice Department: Wire Act Doesn’t Affect Lotteries
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…
