In what is seen as a big win for interstate online poker, the First Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of the New Hampshire Lottery Commission in their case against the U.S. Department of Justice and its revised opinion of the Wire Act.

Regulated online poker in the US made some leaps in 2019, and if the market can have a similar legislative year in 2020 as it did in 2019, things will be moving along quite nicely. In 2019, Pennsylvania online poker went live, West Virginia entered the regulated arena, and Michigan redeemed itself.

During his confirmation hearing in early January, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he’d be open to revisiting the Justice Department’s interpretation of the Wire Act, which allowed states the opportunity to legalize online gaming. Just three months later, it appears Sessions may be following through with that intention. Within the past two weeks, the National… Continue reading New AG Jeff Sessions Apparently Considering New Online Gaming Ban

In the confirmation hearing this week regarding Sen. Jeff Sessions’ appointment as Attorney General, a brief exchange between Sessions and Sen. Lindsey Graham piqued the interest of the online poker world. Early in the eight-hour confirmation hearing, Graham asked Sessions for his thoughts on the Department of Justice’s 2011 interpretation of the Wire Act, which… Continue reading Jeff Sessions Open to Revisiting Key Wire Act Interpretation

The “conservative educational foundation” Judicial Watch, which is heavily supported by Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson (pictured), is doing its part by suing the US federal government for access to documents pertaining to the Department of Justice’s 2011 reinterpretation of the Wire Act.

In January, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) hijacked a critical Attorney General confirmation hearingto spread the gospel of Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson. The latter, whose properties include the Venetian and Palazzo in Las Vegas, has pledged to spend “whatever it takes” to rid the US of online gambling and online poker. Now, the Attorney… Continue reading US Attorney General Nominee: Address Internet Gambling Through Legislation

On Wednesday, longtime reporter John Ralston wrote on his blog, “Here’s what’s floating around DC. I smell a Nevada company.” What followed was text of a draft bill that expands the scope of the Wire Act by adding the following language: “The term ‘any sporting event or contest’ includes games in material part or predominantly… Continue reading US Internet Gambling Bill with Online Poker Carve-Out Surfaces