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When Sports Bettors Win, So Does the IRS
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October 7, 2024
When Sports Bettors Win, So Does the IRS
By: George Calhoun
Sports betting and adjacent industries have exploded in the United States. One area that continues to cause confusion is the taxation of these businesses – both for the companies and the individual players. For individual bettors, the IRS has clear rules on gambling income that predate the recent explosion of the sports betting industry. In short, the proceeds from a successful sports wager are taxable income and taxed like any other ordinary income. Losses can be deducted if you file an itemized return, but such deductions cannot exceed winnings. Unfortunately, each bet is treated separately. You cannot lump bets together to net your transactions. That means bettors must keep records of their wins and losses to file an accurate return.[1]…
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Illinois Expanding Regulations over Gaming Ads
October 2, 2024
Illinois Expanding Regulations over Gaming Ads
By: Jordan Briggs
The Illinois Gaming Board (“IGB”) adopted a new proposed uniform advertising regulation for sports wagering, casino gambling, and video gaming operators at its September meeting. Sports wagering is already subject to certain advertising and marketing restrictions, captured in “Rule 340.”[1] IGB proposed amendments to strengthen Rule 340 for sports wagering, and, for the first time, proposed to extend Rule 340 to casino gambling and video…
Maryland Regulators Pick Away at Latest Fantasy Offerings
September 6, 2024
Maryland Regulators Pick Away at Latest Fantasy Offerings
By: Robert Ward
On August 29, just as football fans were gearing up for the 2024-2025 NFL season, the Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency issued a new round of proposed regulations for both sports betting and daily fantasy sports. The proposed sports betting regulations address a wide range of topics, from geolocation and multifactor authentication to wind-down procedures for sportsbooks.[1] The proposed daily fantasy sports regulations,…
iGaming Company Takes on State Licensing Commission’s Rejection – Achieves Rare Victory
November 20, 2023
iGaming Company Takes on State Licensing Commission’s Rejection – Achieves Rare Victory
By: Jeff Ifrah
Ifrah Law’s litigation experience and broad knowledge of gaming licensing laws and procedures rescued a client from an unfair application denial, which would have frozen the company out of a major state’s market and tarnished the CEO’s reputation among licensing boards in other states. A successful iGaming company had nearly completed the rigorous registration process required to operate in one of the most populous states…
Maryland Report Supports iGaming Expansion – Should More States Start to Consider Legalization?
November 17, 2023
Maryland Report Supports iGaming Expansion – Should More States Start to Consider Legalization?
By: Sara Dalsheim
In its effort to legalize online slot machines, table games, and poker (“iGaming”), the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (“MLGCA”) hired the Innovation Group to create a wide-ranging report that would analyze the projected Maryland market, provide legislative and rule recommendations, and summarize both best practices and pitfalls to avoid in launching iGaming in Maryland (“Report”). The Report, released on November 15, 2023, reviewed…
DraftKings Should Prevail in NFT-Securities Litigation
October 13, 2023
DraftKings Should Prevail in NFT-Securities Litigation
By: Jake Gray
In February 2022, we wrote about the extent to which NFTs could raise novel securities laws questions, invoking the case of Friel v. Dapper Labs and utility-based NFT offerings conjoined to ownership-based privileges associated with securities. A year later, in February 2023, a judge from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied Dapper Labs’s motion to dismiss, holding that the…
Surging Sportsbook Signups Illustrate Need for Ubiquitous Legal Gaming Markets
September 29, 2023
Surging Sportsbook Signups Illustrate Need for Ubiquitous Legal Gaming Markets
By: Sara Dalsheim
The kickoff of the NFL 2023-2024 season has held many surprises: drastically favored teams lost to their underdog opponents; surprise rookies broke out like Bijan Robinson and Puka Nacua; sports media outlets aggressively reported on the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce courtship; and much more. What has not been surprising, however, is the surge of signups on legal sports betting websites. Indeed, the influx of new users…
A Cautionary Tale Courtesy of Fortnite
September 21, 2023
A Cautionary Tale Courtesy of Fortnite
By: Steven Eichorn
A fast-growing segment of online gaming is the in-game purchase on (sometimes free) games/apps in exchange for virtual items. The virtual items can be mere cosmetic game enhancements, features that increase a player’s likelihood of success, and many other options. Because these virtual items are purchased with real world funds, companies must be vigilant in employing good practices such as clear and conspicuous disclosures of…
