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Secrets of a Compliance and Licensing Analyst: What Clients Find Most Surprising About Applying for a Gambling License
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February 11, 2026
Secrets of a Compliance and Licensing Analyst: What Clients Find Most Surprising About Applying for a Gambling License
By: Amanda Holi
Drawing from my experience on the front lines at Ifrah Law—a firm dedicated to the complexities of gaming and gambling-related applications—I’ve observed that even the most prepared clients can be blindsided by the sheer depth of the licensing process. To help you prepare, here are the four most common ‘surprises’ our clients encounter: Suitability is a Deep Dive, Not a Surface Check In the gambling industry, regulators operate on the principle of suitability. This means that holding a license isn’t just about following rules—it’s about proving you have the character, honesty, and integrity to be a trusted part of the ecosystem. Regulators view a license as a privilege rather than a right, meaning the burden of proof rests entirely on…
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Beyond the Approval: 3 Critical Tips for Renewing Your Gambling License
February 3, 2026
Beyond the Approval: 3 Critical Tips for Renewing Your Gambling License
By: Amanda Holi
As a former regulator, I’ve sat on the other side of the desk, reviewing hundreds of applications and watching promising applicants stumble over the same hurdles. Now, as a licensing specialist at a law firm, I help my clients avoid those “regulatory red flags” before they happen. Securing your initial license is a monumental achievement, but maintaining it is where the real work begins. In…
Prediction Markets Raising Predictable Questions of Regulation, Public Policy
January 27, 2026
Prediction Markets Raising Predictable Questions of Regulation, Public Policy
By: John Mikuta
On January 3, 2026, the United States carried out a shocking military strike against Venezuela, resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.[i] Maduro was taken from his home in Caracas and flown to New York, where he faces narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons possession conspiracy charges.[ii] While the strike surprised most of the world, a few traders on Polymarket seemingly anticipated…
Kansas is Anticipated to be Next for Legalized Sports Betting
May 4, 2022
Kansas is Anticipated to be Next for Legalized Sports Betting
By: Sara Dalsheim
As part of a rumored effort to lure the Kansas City Chiefs to move their stadium to the state of Kansas, late on April 28th, 2022, and extending into the earliest hours on the 29th, Kansas state lawmakers voted in favor of a bill to legalize mobile and retail sports betting. Now, the bill is headed to Governor Laura Kelly’s desk for signature. Gov. Kelly…
NCAA Allows Data Distribution Deals to Sportsbooks
April 29, 2022
NCAA Allows Data Distribution Deals to Sportsbooks
By: Jake Gray
The National College Athletic Association (“NCAA”) relaxed its long-established opposition to sports betting this Wednesday in a decision that will allow for the sale of data to sportsbooks. The decision comes in the same week that NCAA president Mark Emmert agreed to leave his role in the middle of his contract once a new president is named, a move which will allow the NCAA to…
Legalized Online and Retail Sports Betting on its Way to Maine
April 26, 2022
Legalized Online and Retail Sports Betting on its Way to Maine
By: Sara Dalsheim
This week, Maine’s state House and Senate both approved a bill that would legalize online and retail sports betting. The legislation provides the state’s four federally recognized Indian tribes with a monopoly on mobile sports betting rights. The state’s two casinos, the Oxford Casino and the Hollywood Casino and Raceway in Bangor have the ability, under the legislation, to offer an in-person sportsbook. The bill…
Pennsylvania Finally Drops Under 5% Shareholder Licensee Registration Requirement
April 25, 2022
Pennsylvania Finally Drops Under 5% Shareholder Licensee Registration Requirement
By: Steven Eichorn
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (Board) issued a letter to enact a policy change to raise the ownership interest threshold from one percent to five percent for ownership interests held in privately-owned entities. This immediately impacts the licensing requirements of “principal” applications in Pennsylvania and is effective for both existing licensees (or pending applications) and to future applicants. Who Does This Apply To? Further, it…
State Securities Regulators Intervene In Virtual Casino NFT Sales
April 18, 2022
State Securities Regulators Intervene In Virtual Casino NFT Sales
By: Jake Gray
State regulators in three states took the first steps in regulating non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”) as securities, issuing cease-and-desist orders against the online casino developer Sand Vegas Casino Club (“Sand Vegas”) and its co-founders for allegedly offering unregistered securities and violating various other securities-related regulations. As we have written, NFTs use smart contracts to offer holders novel functionality, like granting them access to certain services, events,…
