It is ironic that recent proposed legislation that would expand the scope of the federal Wire Act comes from a U.S. senator in the South, where “states’ rights” has always been a rallying cry. This past week’s focus on the presence of the Confederate battle flag on the grounds of the South Carolina capitol (and…

Minnesota’s legislature recently passed a bill that bars the Minnesota Lottery from offering online games, following a four month transition period. Specifically, the new law bans the lottery director from offering “the play of, on an electronic terminal, through a Web site, or by any other means or device, casino-style games, including but not limited…

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has overturned a federal district court ruling that had permitted the State of Wisconsin to prohibit the Ho Chunk tribe from offering electronic poker on its reservation although such games are not explicitly and uniformly prohibited in that state.  This ruling may have implications for the…

The House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations held a hearing last week to consider bill HR 707, the “Restoration of America’s Wire Act,” or RAWA.  The proposed bill would prohibit most types of online gambling, whether or not they have been legalized and regulated by any state. The bill was drafted in…

As Minnesota’s lottery system turns 25 years old, director Ed Van Petten has sought to follow the lead of the most technologically-advanced state lottery systems in the country by expanding into the profitable market of online ticket sales. However, at a time when many states have enjoyed the additional revenue that online lottery sales can…