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Secrets of a Compliance and Licensing Analyst: What Clients Find Most Surprising About Applying for a Gambling License
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February 11, 2026
Secrets of a Compliance and Licensing Analyst: What Clients Find Most Surprising About Applying for a Gambling License
By: Amanda Holi
Drawing from my experience on the front lines at Ifrah Law—a firm dedicated to the complexities of gaming and gambling-related applications—I’ve observed that even the most prepared clients can be blindsided by the sheer depth of the licensing process. To help you prepare, here are the four most common ‘surprises’ our clients encounter: Suitability is a Deep Dive, Not a Surface Check In the gambling industry, regulators operate on the principle of suitability. This means that holding a license isn’t just about following rules—it’s about proving you have the character, honesty, and integrity to be a trusted part of the ecosystem. Regulators view a license as a privilege rather than a right, meaning the burden of proof rests entirely on…
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Beyond the Approval: 3 Critical Tips for Renewing Your Gambling License
February 3, 2026
Beyond the Approval: 3 Critical Tips for Renewing Your Gambling License
By: Amanda Holi
As a former regulator, I’ve sat on the other side of the desk, reviewing hundreds of applications and watching promising applicants stumble over the same hurdles. Now, as a licensing specialist at a law firm, I help my clients avoid those “regulatory red flags” before they happen. Securing your initial license is a monumental achievement, but maintaining it is where the real work begins. In…
Prediction Markets Raising Predictable Questions of Regulation, Public Policy
January 27, 2026
Prediction Markets Raising Predictable Questions of Regulation, Public Policy
By: John Mikuta
On January 3, 2026, the United States carried out a shocking military strike against Venezuela, resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.[i] Maduro was taken from his home in Caracas and flown to New York, where he faces narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons possession conspiracy charges.[ii] While the strike surprised most of the world, a few traders on Polymarket seemingly anticipated…
Va. Court Declines to Decide Status of Poker Under State’s Gambling Law
March 4, 2013
Va. Court Declines to Decide Status of Poker Under State’s Gambling Law
By: Ifrah Law
On February 28, 2013, the Virginia Supreme Court issued an opinion in which it declined to address the legality of playing poker in the state but left open the possibility for the issue to be decided in a future case. The full opinion in the case, Daniels v. Mobley, is available here. Charles Daniels, a former poker hall operator who operated charitable bingo halls in…
Federal Judge Strikes Down N.J. Sports Betting Statute as Conflicting With Federal Law
March 1, 2013
Federal Judge Strikes Down N.J. Sports Betting Statute as Conflicting With Federal Law
By: Ifrah Law
Last night, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Shipp released an opinion in the widely watched New Jersey sports betting case, stating that New Jersey’s sports betting law is invalid as conflicting with federal law. Now, the future of sports betting in the United States will be decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The Professional and Amateur Sports Betting Act of…
Facebook Takes Steps to Expand Presence in Real Money Gaming
February 11, 2013
Facebook Takes Steps to Expand Presence in Real Money Gaming
By: Ifrah Law
Facebook is quickly expanding its real money gaming platform. Net Entertainments has signed a license agreement with Bonza Gaming, which is a joint venture between gaming publisher Plumbee and online gaming operator Sportingbet. Under the agreement Net Entertainment will offer a range of casino games to Bonza Gaming, which will create an app, Bonza Slots, that will be available on Facebook to users that want…
DOJ Brief Tries to Keep N.J. Sports Gaming Law Out of Bounds
February 3, 2013
DOJ Brief Tries to Keep N.J. Sports Gaming Law Out of Bounds
By: Ifrah Law
On Friday, February 1, 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey defending the constitutionality of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), the hotly contested federal law that prohibits sports betting in most states. New Jersey is seeking to have the court find this law unconstitutional. A win for…
DOJ Plans to Intervene in N.J. Sports-Betting Case
January 22, 2013
DOJ Plans to Intervene in N.J. Sports-Betting Case
By: Ifrah Law
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on January 22, 2013, that it plans to intervene in the lawsuit brought by the four major professional sports leagues and the NCAA challenging a New Jersey state law that legalized sports betting in the state. The leagues have argued in court papers that the New Jersey law is invalid because it directly contravenes a 1992 federal law, the…
