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Rules Matter Even for the Pat McAfee’s of the World
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November 4, 2026
Rules Matter Even for the Pat McAfee’s of the World
By: Sara Dalsheim
Former NFL punter and now ESPN analyst/commentator Pat McAfee is constantly garnering attention for his flashy takes and fun interviews. Most recently, he has also gained the attention of college football fans and students via his weekly “Kicking Is Easy” contest segment on ESPN’s wildly popular “College Gameday” – where McAfee gives away $1 million, and sometimes even more, to one college student who successfully kicks a 33-yard field goal.[1] As is common with McAfee, the giveaway has started a lot of online chatter, because of both the large prize and the big personality connected to it. Questions have arisen such as what exactly is the prize, who pays the prize, and how is the participant is chosen, among…
Prediction Markets at a Crossroads: Licensing, Compliance, and Future(s)
October 20, 2026
Prediction Markets at a Crossroads: Licensing, Compliance, and Future(s)
By: Kyra Pulliam
Last week I had the honor of attending the inaugural PREDICT Conference hosted by DealFlow Events in New York City. This event should not be confused with the NEXTPredict Summit, taking place October 22-23, or Predict 2026, scheduled for December 7-9, both of which will also be held in New York. If the growing number of prediction market conferences borders on excessive, it is easy…
Problem Gaming or Problem Industry Players?
October 14, 2026
Problem Gaming or Problem Industry Players?
By: Michelle Cohen
Over the summer, I attended the National Council on Problem Gambling’s (“NCPG”) annual conference in Nashville. NCPG is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the harms associated with problem gambling. NCPG is a membership-supported organization whose members include major gaming companies, professional sports leagues, nonprofit organizations, and state government regulatory agencies. In Nashville, I learned from various stakeholders, including doctors, therapists, and individuals…
What About Gaming? The House Passes the SAFE Banking Act, Putting Cannabis Ahead of Regulated Gambling
September 26, 2019
What About Gaming? The House Passes the SAFE Banking Act, Putting Cannabis Ahead of Regulated Gambling
By: Ifrah Law
The inability to secure banking services has created enormous difficulties for state level, legal cannabis industries. Eleven states and the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of marijuana, and a majority of states also have legal medical marijuana programs. Nonetheless, “marihuana” remains a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act and its sale or possession can be a federal crime. As a…
A Comeback Victory: Appeals Court Says Monmouth Park Owner is Entitled to Recover Damages from NCAA and Sports Leagues
September 24, 2019
A Comeback Victory: Appeals Court Says Monmouth Park Owner is Entitled to Recover Damages from NCAA and Sports Leagues
By: Ifrah Law
It has been over a year since the Supreme Court found that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was unconstitutional in Murphy v. NCAA, and countless states have legalized sports gambling in the time since, but the legal fallout from the Murphy case is still weaving its way from the courts. Early in the Murphy case, when the sports leagues and NCAA requested…
North Carolina on the Verge of Legal Sports Betting
July 29, 2019
North Carolina on the Verge of Legal Sports Betting
By: Ifrah Law
In April, I spoke to the North Carolina Bar Association concerning the future of sports betting in the state. At the time, a bill to legalize sports betting was making its way through the legislative process. Last week, the North Carolina legislature finally passed a bill authorizing sports wagering at the state’s two Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian casinos. The bill explicitly adds sports betting…
New Hampshire Federal Court Finds Wire Act Is Limited to Gambling on Sporting Events
June 4, 2019
New Hampshire Federal Court Finds Wire Act Is Limited to Gambling on Sporting Events
By: Ifrah Law
On June 3, 2019, Judge Paul Barbadoro of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire issued a 60-page opinion holding that the Wire Act is limited to sports gambling. Judge Barbadoro’s opinion resolved litigation between the New Hampshire Lottery Commission, its service provider (NeoPollard), and the Department of Justice (DOJ), over a 2018 opinion by the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel…
Coming to a Theater (Device) Near You: Legalized Sports Betting and Enhanced Player Data Team Up to Save Professional Sports
May 10, 2019
Coming to a Theater (Device) Near You: Legalized Sports Betting and Enhanced Player Data Team Up to Save Professional Sports
By: Nicole Kardell
Professional sports as an industry has a money problem. Game attendance across sports has been on the decline in recent years. Viewership has been on a downward trajectory as has traditional advertising. But two superheroes have appeared on the horizon to help turn things around. And if they team up, Avengers-style, they could benefit all stakeholders in the sports industry: from leagues to teams to…
