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CFTC Sends Message to Prediction Markets: You Are Not a Sportsbook
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August 11, 2026
CFTC Sends Message to Prediction Markets: You Are Not a Sportsbook
By: John Mikuta
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 to refrain from engaging in misleading or deceptive practices when advertising, listing, or transacting event contracts. The notice highlights the CFTC’s growing concerns about the promotion of event contracts using the “American odds” format associated with sports betting and casino operators rather than nominal or percentage terms that reflect market pricing. The notice stresses that this practice could create confusion about the nature of the…
Nicole Kardell on Keeping iGaming Clients Nimble Amidst Ever-Evolving Privacy Regulations
August 3, 2026
Nicole Kardell on Keeping iGaming Clients Nimble Amidst Ever-Evolving Privacy Regulations
By: Ifrah Law
For iGaming companies, protecting customer privacy is paramount: Nicole Kardell acts as their guardian against federal, state and civil actions that could damage their reputations and profitability. Nicole performs on the leading edge of privacy law, helping to keep Ifrah’s clients in compliance with U.S. and international regulations governing the handling of customers’ confidential information. A certified privacy professional with expertise in European privacy law…
Betting on Technology: Bipartisan Proposal for Requiring Facial Recognition to Keep Minors from Wagering Online
July 29, 2026
Betting on Technology: Bipartisan Proposal for Requiring Facial Recognition to Keep Minors from Wagering Online
By: Lauren Scribner
“As every parent knows, when you tell a kid not to do something, they almost always end up trying to do it,” said Congresswoman Kristen MacDonald Rivet (MI-8) about the recently introduced bipartisan “Facial Recognition to Protect Children Act” (“proposed Act”).[1] She continued, “[k]ids under the age of 18 shouldn’t be making bets, but now it’s just a few taps away on their phones. Our…
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…
Advancing the Ball, Take Two: Google Opens Online Gaming Advertising in Four States
December 16, 2019
Advancing the Ball, Take Two: Google Opens Online Gaming Advertising in Four States
By: Nicole Kardell
Google will revise its advertising policies to allow ads for online casinos in several states where online gaming is legal and regulated. Notice of the change is posted on Google’s support forum which states that the revision will happen this month: “In December 2019, Google will update the Gambling and games policy to allow state-licensed entities to promote online casinos in Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey,…
