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A Ticket to Win: Are Travel Points a Thing of Value?
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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…
Why Virtual Gold Can’t Buy Plaintiffs Happiness
November 10, 2015
Why Virtual Gold Can’t Buy Plaintiffs Happiness
By: Ifrah Law
A federal court has soundly rejected a plaintiff’s contention that she suffered any real-world harm based on in-game losses of virtual currency. In Mason v. Machine Zone, Inc., plaintiff Mia Mason alleged that she was a regular player of a free-to-play mobile game called Game of War (GoW): Fire Age. GoW is a multiplayer online strategy game in which players construct a simulated empire and…
The Return of The King
October 1, 2015
The Return of The King
By: Ifrah Law
PokerStars, the innovative online poker industry leader with a deeply loyal U.S. fan base, is making its highly anticipated return to the United States online gaming market. New Jersey regulators have approved PokerStars’ parent company, Amaya, to partner with Resorts Atlantic City to offer online gaming platforms in the state through the PokerStars and Full Tilt brands. As the world’s largest and most popular online…
Five Legal Issues Your eSports Company Needs to Know About Operating in the U.S.
September 14, 2015
Five Legal Issues Your eSports Company Needs to Know About Operating in the U.S.
By: Michelle Cohen
Photo courtesy https://outplayed.fr/ With a $143 million market in North America, eSports is big business in the U.S. And given its swift rise in popularity – 205 million people worldwide watched or played eSports in 2014, it will only become bigger. At last week’s eSports Conference, held in San Francisco September 9-10, industry leaders met and mingled while discussing market trends, best practices and the…
Wanted: A Quarterback for Legalization Of U.S. Sports Betting
August 12, 2015
Wanted: A Quarterback for Legalization Of U.S. Sports Betting
By: Jeff Ifrah
*This piece first appeared on the site LegalSportsReport.com on August 11, 2015 Welcome to one of the biggest business opportunities on Planet Earth: legalized sports betting in the United States, the land of the free and the home of 200 million sports fans. It hasn’t happened yet, but odds are, it will. And when it does, the overwhelming spoils will go to licensed and law abiding actors…
Captain Obvious Makes Landmark Ruling: Texas Hold ‘Em Is Poker
July 24, 2015
Captain Obvious Makes Landmark Ruling: Texas Hold ‘Em Is Poker
By: Nicole Kardell
Texas Hold ‘Em is poker. This probably doesn’t come as a surprise to most, but the pronouncement was a serious disappointment to an Idaho casino. The Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled this week that the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s Idaho-based casino could not lawfully offer Texas Hold ‘Em on its site as the game was in fact poker, and poker is specifically prohibited by Idaho’s…
