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Cold Water on Insider Trading Fears: Prediction Markets Miss the 2026 NFL Draft
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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…
Recap of RAWA House Subcommittee Hearing and What It Means for iGaming
March 30, 2015
Recap of RAWA House Subcommittee Hearing and What It Means for iGaming
By: Ifrah Law
The House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations held a hearing last week to consider bill HR 707, the “Restoration of America’s Wire Act,” or RAWA. The proposed bill would prohibit most types of online gambling, whether or not they have been legalized and regulated by any state. The bill was drafted in response to 2011 Department of Justice opinion letter stating that…
Nevada Sports Books Will Be Going For The Gold During The Next Olympics
March 4, 2015
Nevada Sports Books Will Be Going For The Gold During The Next Olympics
By: Ifrah Law
It seems like, during the next Olympic Games in 2016, you will be able to bet your gold legally in Nevada on who will win the gold. Nevada gaming regulators have voted unanimously to permit the state’s sports books to accept wagers on the Olympic games for the first time in years. Nevada joins international sports books in a number of other countries that already…
Minnesota’s Lottery Quagmire: The State Legislature’s Continued Resistance to Online Lottery Ticket Sales
February 23, 2015
Minnesota’s Lottery Quagmire: The State Legislature’s Continued Resistance to Online Lottery Ticket Sales
By: Ifrah Law
As Minnesota’s lottery system turns 25 years old, director Ed Van Petten has sought to follow the lead of the most technologically-advanced state lottery systems in the country by expanding into the profitable market of online ticket sales. However, at a time when many states have enjoyed the additional revenue that online lottery sales can provide, Minnesota joins a small number of states that have…
Daily Fantasy Sports and the Start of Class Action Season
January 7, 2015
Daily Fantasy Sports and the Start of Class Action Season
By: Ifrah Law
While billions of dollars of sports betting continues in the shadowy world of illegal off-shore sports books, the fantasy sports business has been on fire. And as fantasy sports becomes the new hot “thing” online, it has continued to evolve: Dozens of companies are entering the market to offer everything thing from the increasingly common single day fantasy contests to the stock market-like contest offered…
The Current State of Online Lottery Sales and the Outlook for 2015
December 23, 2014
The Current State of Online Lottery Sales and the Outlook for 2015
By: Ifrah Law
As states continue to search for ways to generate additional revenue, several states have explored the possibility of selling lottery tickets online. Online lottery ticket sales represent an untapped market for state lotteries that could see rapid expansion in the next several years and it also looks to be a hot issue in several state legislatures for 2015. In 2011, an opinion issued by the Department of…
