Insights < BACK TO ALL INSIGHTS
Cold Water on Insider Trading Fears: Prediction Markets Miss the 2026 NFL Draft
FEATURED
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…
Legal Sports Betting Still Faces Competition From Illegal Market; Low State Taxes Could Turn The Tide
April 27, 2020
Legal Sports Betting Still Faces Competition From Illegal Market; Low State Taxes Could Turn The Tide
By: Ifrah Law
The following blog was first published by Forbes.com earlier this month, available here. Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, states are moving quickly to legalize sports wagering. Indeed, just last month, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed sports betting into law in that state, in addition to the Virginia state legislature passing a bill. It is not surprising that even amidst the pandemic, states are still considering…
Betting on Transparency
March 10, 2020
Betting on Transparency
By: James Trusty
Professional sports leagues are struggling to take coherent and consistent positions on the emerging market for legalized sports betting. Commissioners are issuing edicts to their leagues about the danger gambling poses to their sport, but they are also beginning to officially partner with the gaming industry due to the promising bottom-line impact and growing acceptance of sports betting in general. Their wobbling between moral opposition…
For the Children! Seeking to Advance Special Interests Against Online Gaming Under the Guise of Child Welfare
March 9, 2020
For the Children! Seeking to Advance Special Interests Against Online Gaming Under the Guise of Child Welfare
By: Nicole Kardell
Want an example of legislative redundancy? Here’s a good one: “The Prevention of Deceptive or Child-Targeted Advertising in Violation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.” It’s proposed legislation seeking to justify new legislation to make that which is illegal… illegaler? Or, want an example of legislation that uses children’s welfare as a pretense to achieve some outside goal with less public appeal? You can…
“What are we supposed to do? Call the cops? It’s already out there!”: Recent MGM hack exemplifies the uncontainable results of a data breach
February 21, 2020
“What are we supposed to do? Call the cops? It’s already out there!”: Recent MGM hack exemplifies the uncontainable results of a data breach
By: Nicole Kardell
A hacker has posted to a public forum the personal details for more than 10.6 million former hotel guests of MGM Resorts. Information now available for all to see includes: full names, home addresses, phone numbers, emails, and dates of birth. Making it most newsworthy is that the likes of Justin Bieber, Jack Dorsey (Twitter’s billionaire CEO), among other celebs, prominent business folks, and government…
Presentation Recap: Jackpot! How D.C. Can Successfully Introduce Legalized Sports Betting and Navigate the Changing Regulatory Landscape
January 13, 2020
Presentation Recap: Jackpot! How D.C. Can Successfully Introduce Legalized Sports Betting and Navigate the Changing Regulatory Landscape
By: Jeffrey Hamlin
On January 9th, the DC Bar Association hosted a presentation by Ifrah Law entitled Jackpot! How D.C. Can Successfully Introduce Legalized Sports Betting and Navigate the Regulatory Landscape. For an hour and forty-five minutes a four-person panel discussed the District of Columbia’s legalization and regulation of sports betting in the wake of Murphy v. Nat’l Collegiate Athletic Ass’n. Ifrah Law’s Founding Member and online-gaming expert…
