Insights < BACK TO ALL INSIGHTS
Sports Posts
High Wire Act
Sep 22, 2026
High Wire Act
The federal statute known as the Wire Act (18 U.S.C. § 1084) has had a tumultuous history. For many years, the DOJ interpreted it to include restrictions on both sporting events and non-sporting contests. That changed dramatically in 2011, when the Office of Legal Counsel (“OLC”), responding to states seeking clarification before establishing state lotteries,…
Robert Ward on Helping iGaming Clients Outmaneuver Lawsuit-Obsessed Adversaries
Sep 8, 2026
Robert Ward on Helping iGaming Clients Outmaneuver Lawsuit-Obsessed Adversaries
Today’s iGaming companies face new litigation threats as expansive consumer protection statutes spark lawsuits with sky’s-the-limit aspirations, sometimes backed by private funders. Clients of Ifrah Law have a staunch defender in Robert Ward – an agile litigator and case tactician who responds to the changing state of play with creative legal defenses and efficient case-closing…
CFTC Sends Message to Prediction Markets: You Are Not a Sportsbook
Aug 11, 2026
CFTC Sends Message to Prediction Markets: You Are Not a Sportsbook
In recent guidance, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) has made clear that event contracts offered by regulated prediction-market entities must not be marketed in a format commonly used by casino gambling bookmakers. The CFTC’s Division of Market Oversight and Market Participants Division issued a notice to all CFTC-regulated entities and affiliates regarding their obligations…
CFTC Predicting Litigation Success over Multiple States
Jun 8, 2026
CFTC Predicting Litigation Success over Multiple States
Through recent litigation actions, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) continues to stake out an aggressive position in the fight over who has the authority to regulate prediction markets. On May 18, 2026, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed into law SF 4760, an omnibus public safety bill that made it a felony to operate or…
Conviction by Clickwrap?
May 20, 2026
Conviction by Clickwrap?
“Terms and conditions” are ubiquitous. They appear on baseball tickets,[1] in air conditioning repair agreements,[2] and, of course, on essentially every website we visit on a daily basis. By now, as the Seventh Circuit has put it, reasonable consumers “understand there will be terms and conditions associated with using a website.”[3] When disputes about terms…
Cold Water on Insider Trading Fears: Prediction Markets Miss the 2026 NFL Draft
Apr 29, 2026
Cold Water on Insider Trading Fears: Prediction Markets Miss the 2026 NFL Draft
From April 23 to April 25, the National Football League (“NFL”) held its annual player selection draft. Over 800,000 fans gathered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to watch Commissioner Roger Goodell announce the picks live, with millions more watching on TV and other digital platforms.[1] But the NFL Draft is not just a spectator event—both traditional sportsbooks…
After Ciminelli: Are the Feds Betting Too Big on Wire Fraud?
Apr 23, 2026
After Ciminelli: Are the Feds Betting Too Big on Wire Fraud?
Can a technical violation of a website’s terms and conditions constitute a violation of the federal wire fraud statute? A federal court will soon decide just how broadly the statute may sweep, and whether all such forms of potentially dishonest conduct are subject to such stringent criminalization. On Monday, all eyes will be on the…
Maryland’s Ever-Changing Gaming Landscape: Evolution, Adaptation, and Legal Tension
Mar 23, 2026
Maryland’s Ever-Changing Gaming Landscape: Evolution, Adaptation, and Legal Tension
Maryland’s Ever-Changing Gaming Landscape: Evolution, Adaptation, and Legal Tension Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend the 3rd annual Town Hall Meeting, hosted by Morgan State University’s Center for Data Analytics and Sports Gaming Research and National Council of Legislators from Gaming States and participate in a lively discussion about the ever-changing face…
Major League Development: CFTC and MLB Agree to Monitor the Integrity of Prediction Markets
Mar 19, 2026
Major League Development: CFTC and MLB Agree to Monitor the Integrity of Prediction Markets
In a watershed moment for the prediction market industry, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Major League Baseball (“MLB”) today. According to the CFTC’s press release, the groundbreaking agreement “establishes a framework for the CFTC and MLB to discuss, cooperate, and exchange information concerning issues of common interest…
Jim Trusty on Smart Legal Moves for Clients Under Pressure
Mar 18, 2026
Jim Trusty on Smart Legal Moves for Clients Under Pressure
A veteran federal prosecutor and formidable white-collar litigator, Jim Trusty clears a lane for clients facing a gauntlet of criminal charges, civil actions, investigations, and regulatory proceedings. From professional athletes facing sports wagering accusations or indictments, to gaming companies and executives involved in regulatory or white-collar matters, clients rely on Jim’s legal strategy, political savvy,…
