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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…
New York Mah Jong Ruling May Help Cause of Online Poker
January 29, 2012
New York Mah Jong Ruling May Help Cause of Online Poker
By: Rachel Hirsch
Mah Jong, the ancient Chinese tile-based table game, can now count itself as a winner in the old debate of games of skill vs. games of chance, according to a New York state judge, who recently ruled that the game demands more than luck. On January 4, 2012, Criminal Court Judge John H. Wilson declared in People v. Feng that “the court declines to declare…
New DOJ Opinion Paves Way to Legal Online Poker
December 26, 2011
New DOJ Opinion Paves Way to Legal Online Poker
By: Ifrah Law
On December 23, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that it has reversed a long-held position by stating that the Wire Act applies only to sports betting. This marks a major change in policy for DOJ, which has long contended that the Wire Act prohibits all forms of Internet gambling, including poker. Late that day, the DOJ released a 13-page legal opinion dated September…
Illinois Court Ruling Upholds State’s New Video Gaming Act
August 2, 2011
Illinois Court Ruling Upholds State’s New Video Gaming Act
By: Ifrah Law
In a 7-0 decision, the Illinois Supreme Court recently upheld legislation that will allow video gaming in the state for the first time. Earlier this month, the court ruled in favor of the Illinois legislature’s 2009 omnibus bill for funding capital projects that included the Video Gaming Act. The legislation had been challenged by Chicago Blackhawks owner and liquor distributor Rockwell Wirtz as violating the…
Massachusetts Cracks Down on Gambling at Internet Cafes
July 15, 2011
Massachusetts Cracks Down on Gambling at Internet Cafes
By: Ifrah Law
Last month, citing evidence that illegal gambling was going on at “Internet cafés” throughout the state, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley issued a new permanent regulation banning gambling at such places. The regulation bans the operation of establishments “where a gambling purpose predominates over the bona fide sale of bona fide goods or services” – in this case, cyber cafés and phone card video game terminals….
DC Attorney General Testifies That DC Online Gaming Law Does Not Violate Federal Law
June 30, 2011
DC Attorney General Testifies That DC Online Gaming Law Does Not Violate Federal Law
By: Ifrah Law
The D.C. Council held a hearing on June 29, 2011, to discuss the implementation of a new law that is scheduled to go into full effect on Sept. 8, allowing legal online gaming within the D.C city limits. This would make the District of Columbia the first jurisdiction in the United States to legalize online gaming for money. The hearing also marked the first time…
