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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…
Skin Gambling Plaintiffs Find Themselves Back Where They Started
January 10, 2017
Skin Gambling Plaintiffs Find Themselves Back Where They Started
By: Ifrah Law
The lawsuits against Valve Corporation are continuing their tortured procedural paths from various federal courts to state court and back again. After filing a complaint against Valve and several co-defendants in federal court, the case was ultimately dismissed. Not dissuaded, the plaintiffs refiled against Valve in state court, in King County, Washington. Yet, as of December 2016, the case is back in federal court. After…
Coalition Building to Combat Unlicensed Internet Gaming Sites
November 14, 2016
Coalition Building to Combat Unlicensed Internet Gaming Sites
By: Steven Eichorn
The NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) regulates various licensees that provide services to the online gaming industry within the state. The agency recently demonstrated its power of regulatory enforcement over the online gaming industry and its unique ability to protect consumers with its recent discovery that a licensee may have provided US residents with access to unlicensed offshore sports wagering sites via an out-of-country server…
Shutting the Valve on Skin Betting
October 26, 2016
Shutting the Valve on Skin Betting
By: Nicole Kardell
A tried and true military strategy is to cut off your enemy’s supply lines: blow up a bridge and force a retreat. The tactic works in other situations too. It is regularly used by legislators and government agencies to address what they view as problem behavior from a particular industry. Instead of targeting the industry, they go after a major supplier, stakeholder, or intermediary. Want…
An Esports Slam Dunk: What the NBA’s Investment in Esports Means
October 20, 2016
An Esports Slam Dunk: What the NBA’s Investment in Esports Means
By: Ifrah Law
On September 26, 2016, the Philadelphia 76ers announced that they had acquired two leading eSports teams, Team Dignitas and Team Apex. Not to be outdone, the next day Team Liquid announced they had sold a controlling share to Golden State Warriors co-owner Peter Guber and entrepreneur Ted Leonsis, who is the majority owner of the private company that owns the Washington Wizards. The Sixers, Guber,…
A Bank is a Bank
August 15, 2016
A Bank is a Bank
By: Ifrah Law
Do you remember when I wrote about how a federal district court had ruled that an online poker account was akin to a bank account and should therefore be subject to FBAR reporting? It seemed nonsense to me at the time—and I also worried about whether the court’s expanded definition of a “financial institution” would be applied to other types of escrow accounts beyond gaming….
