Despite the decision of a Federal Judge, the DOJ Wire Act plans are still moving forward. They look to enforce their opinion that the Act applies to online gambling and poker… but now some Congressmen are threatening the Justice Department ability to act upon those plans.
We also have stories about sports betting in Maine, the failure of mobile betting in New York and the status of betting on sports in Colorado.
Hello friends and This Week in Gambling, I’m J Todd. You know the online gambling industry has been fighting with the US government for years… more specifically the US Department of Justice. But lately lately things seem to be going our way. First we got land-based gaming companies to come on board, then a lot of states started joining our side. Plus we’ve had recent victories and federal court cases. But hey, it hasn’t all been glitter and rainbows.
Despite losing their court battle versus the state of New Hampshire over the Federal Wire Act, the DOJ Wire Act opinion (however misguided) is that the Act applies to all forms of online gambling, not just sports betting. They’ve even set a new enforcement date! Enter some unlikely heroes in the form of the US Congressman who have proposed an amendment to a bill that would hit the DOJ where it hurts the most: Right smack in their big fat pocketbooks!
You see, the bill in question funds the Department of Justice… it feeds them all their money. And the proposed amendment would block them, ban them, prohibit them from using any of those funds to enforce their opinion on the Wire Act! How’s that for flipping the tables!?
And while they are wondering how the DOJ Wire Act opinion could all have gone so wrong so quickly (and probably contemplating their next move), sports betting legislation in Maine has very quietly advanced. A bill that would regulate sports betting in Maine now sits on the desk of their governor. She hasn’t signed it yet… but she hasn’t vetoed it either. She’s expected to sign, but she has until July 3rd to make it decision. If she does nothing then by default the bill will just pass into law.
A panel of gaming experts at a conference in New Jersey recently said that they believe 90% of all sports betting will be mobile in America within the next 10 years. Apparently New York did not get that memo. Despite the recent passage of sports betting legislation there, mobile sports betting In New York was just killed by the State Assembly. You see, they don’t mind if you bet on sports at a state-run casino… they just don’t want you to bet on sports from the comfort of your own home. Think about that for a minute.
Finally this week, as we reported a few shows back voters will decide on sports betting in Colorado this fall. However, if recent polls are to be believed residents of that state are less than enthusiastic about the idea. Fewer than 30% of those surveyed there say they are in favor of regulating betting on sports. Thirty percent! Which is, admittedly, low. However, we still have time to sway public opinion… and hey, 30% is twice as good as my approval rating on this show!
