Insights < BACK TO ALL INSIGHTS
A Ticket to Win: Are Travel Points a Thing of Value?
FEATURED
August 21, 2026
A Ticket to Win: Are Travel Points a Thing of Value?
By: Abbey Block
With the end of summer drawing near, many American families may be hoping to book a last-minute getaway. Some of those travelers may be hoping to take advantage of credit card points to book their trips on the cheap. Credit card points have become a ubiquitous part of American capitalism – particularly those offered by airlines, often referred to as “travel points.” According to the Wall Street Journal, this summer’s travel season was “powered” by more than “$38 billion” worth of credit card-powered travel points. Given the increasing popularity with which folks are accumulating and using these travel points, gaming companies may be wondering if there’s a way for them to get in on the action and asking whether their…
Advertising Prediction Markets? The CFTC Just Sent a Clear Message to Affiliates.
August 17, 2026
Advertising Prediction Markets? The CFTC Just Sent a Clear Message to Affiliates.
By: Kyra Pulliam
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) recently issued guidance directed to designated contract markets (DCMs) concerning the marketing and offering of event contracts. The guidance was addressed to DCMs because no swap execution facilities (SEFs) currently list event contracts. However, the CFTC’s analysis is equally applicable to futures commission merchants (FCMs) and introducing brokers (IBs), as well as the advertising affiliates and marketing partners that…
CFTC Sends Message to Prediction Markets: You Are Not a Sportsbook
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…
Pokémon Go Craze: Battle, Train, Win – But No Betting
July 19, 2016
Pokémon Go Craze: Battle, Train, Win – But No Betting
By: Jeff Ifrah
We are living in a virtual (or perhaps “augmented”) Pokémon explosion. You can’t get away from news of public craze over Pokémon Go. Players young and youngish have made the game today’s most popular app, outpacing Twitter and Tinder download rates. In less than ten days from its release, estimates are that almost 26 million Americans are playing the game. What’s more, SurveyMonkey intelligence predicts…
New Concerns Over Esports Betting; Jeff Ifrah Responds
July 14, 2016
New Concerns Over Esports Betting; Jeff Ifrah Responds
By: Ifrah Law
*photo obtained from https://gameora.tumblr.com/ In light of unprecedented controversy over the legality of “skin betting” and eSports gambling, Jeff Ifrah and two other attorneys took to Reddit to answer questions from players, fans, and professionals. Together with Bryce Blum and Ryan Morrison, Ifrah participated in an AUA (“Ask Us Anything”) thread on July 5, 2016—just after the news about Trevor “TmarTn” Martin, Thomas “Syndicate” Cassell,…
Eric Schneiderman’s Losing Lineup
June 27, 2016
Eric Schneiderman’s Losing Lineup
By: Jeff Ifrah
Defenders of DFS like to point out that it is skill-predominant. If the same can be said for public prosecution, then New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has been fielding one hell of a losing lineup. Between the two of them, DraftKings and FanDuel dominated the DFS space, and they still did after Schneiderman dumped near-identical complaints at their doorsteps. But now their well-being was…
How the Gray Bill Tries to Keep Out Bad Actors
May 24, 2016
How the Gray Bill Tries to Keep Out Bad Actors
By: Steven Eichorn
The iGaming world is excited about Assembly Bill 2863—better known as the Gray bill because of lead sponsor Adam Gray—which would legalize and regulate intrastate online poker in California. A few weeks ago, the bill unanimously cleared the Assembly’s Governmental Organization Committee; now it looks set to clear the Appropriations Committee as well. Those are promising signs—but we’ve seen this before. Last year, a similar…
Social Casino Survives Latest “Gambling” Lawsuit
May 13, 2016
Social Casino Survives Latest “Gambling” Lawsuit
By: Ifrah Law
It’s a familiar sight: rows of men and women, on a bus or a subway, hands and eyes glued to their phones. But they’re not talking or texting or e-mailing. They are playing slots, though not for real money. This is the world of social casino – the subgenre of social gaming featuring casino-style games such as slots, blackjack, and poker. And it’s a huge…
