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Cold Water on Insider Trading Fears: Prediction Markets Miss the 2026 NFL Draft
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April 29, 2026
Cold Water on Insider Trading Fears: Prediction Markets Miss the 2026 NFL Draft
By: John Mikuta
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 and prediction-market platforms allowed customers to risk money predicting which player would be selected first, how many quarterbacks would be chosen, and when particular players would come off the board.[2] NFL Draft betting took off in 2020, when COVID-19-related shutdowns brought most sports to a grinding halt. Until then, a typical draft garnered only about $1 million in wagers. The 2020 NFL Draft, however, saw…
After Ciminelli: Are the Feds Betting Too Big on Wire Fraud?
April 23, 2026
After Ciminelli: Are the Feds Betting Too Big on Wire Fraud?
By: Abbey Block
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 District Court for the Eastern District of New York when…
The Cost of Moving Too Fast: Is Your Company Really Ready to Apply for a US Gaming License?
April 21, 2026
The Cost of Moving Too Fast: Is Your Company Really Ready to Apply for a US Gaming License?
By: Amanda Holi
The allure of the US gaming and gambling market is undeniable. As more states legalize sports betting and online gaming, it seems full of possibilities. But as someone who navigates these regulatory waters daily, I often have to ask new clients a tough question: Is your company actually prepared to apply for a US gaming license? Entering the US isn’t just about having a great…
Ontario Lottery Survives Legal Challenge by the Mohawk Council of the Kahnawà:ke
May 20, 2024
Ontario Lottery Survives Legal Challenge by the Mohawk Council of the Kahnawà:ke
By: Jeffrey Hamlin
The Ontario Superior Court handed a clean victory to Ontario’s internet gaming (“iGaming”) regulator and Attorney General last Monday, when it declared that Ontario’s regime for online gaming comports with Canada’s Constitution and Criminal Code. The much-anticipated decision disposed of a lawsuit that the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (the “Council”) filed in November 2022, alleging that (i) Canadian law prohibits lottery schemes (to include sports…
Sports Betting Advertisement Numbers Actually Decreasing
May 2, 2024
Sports Betting Advertisement Numbers Actually Decreasing
By: Jordan Briggs
Legal online sportsbetting, is still relatively new in America.[1] Over the last six years, as more states have legalized online sportsbetting, Americans have noticed more and more ads, leaving some feeling inundated with these ads.[2] But have Americans really seen more online sportsbetting ads, or have they only noticed more ads? Today, the American Gaming Association (“AGA”) published a summary of its research finding that…
Ad-Tech Europe: The Moving Target Marking Targeted Advertising
April 26, 2024
Ad-Tech Europe: The Moving Target Marking Targeted Advertising
By: Nicole Kardell
The European Data Protection Board (“EDPB”) recently published an opinion on the legality of pay-or-consent models for online platforms offering services in Europe. While the opinion is non-binding and limited to “large online platforms[1],” companies that offer platforms large and small in Europe should pay attention to the EDPB’s analysis—it will inform their future guidance for entities large and small. The upshot: Pay-or-consent models [for…
CFPB Banking in Video Games and Virtual Worlds
April 25, 2024
CFPB Banking in Video Games and Virtual Worlds
By: Jordan Briggs
Converting your dollar to donuts,[1] or whatever in-game currency you choose, has never been easier. As microtransactions online become easier to execute and more prevalent, the in-game economies start to resemble traditional banking—minus the standard banking protections. This issue is not lost on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Earlier this month, the CFPB released an Issue Spotlight on “Banking in video games and virtual…
Ohtani-Mizuhara Scandal: A Case for Regulated Sports Betting, Not Against It
April 11, 2024
Ohtani-Mizuhara Scandal: A Case for Regulated Sports Betting, Not Against It
By: Jake Gray
Shohei Ohtani finds himself at the center of a sports betting scandal and regulated sports betting naysayers have taken the opportunity to toot their own horns. The opening line of this LA Times article, by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Hiltzik, states: “Question for Major League Baseball: How do you like your sports betting partnerships now?” His implication is that the MLB’s embrace of sports betting…
