The US Department of Justice faces a fresh legal challenge to its recently announced rethink on the Federal Wire Act. A lawsuit was filed in New Hampshire’s District Court on Friday by Ifrah Law on behalf of trade body iDEA (iDevelopment and Economic Association). It argues against the DoJ’s revised opinion which finds that the Wire Act now covers all forms of online gambling, not solely sports betting.
Speaking in iGaming Business, lead attorney Jeff Ifrah commented: “We trust that the New Hampshire Court will give appropriate weight to judicial precedent over political factors in making its decision, a decision sure to have a major impact on a fast-growing industry poised to offer significant economic benefits to states across the country. The January 14, 2019, opinion glosses over case law precedent and largely ignores the legislative history that accompanied the Wire Act, which supports the original 2011 Memo.”
The challenge from iDEA is the third since the DoJ went public with its revised view of the act’s meaning in January. First to throw down the gauntlet was the state of New Hampshire, followed by NeoPollard Interactive which supplies technology and servicing requirements for the state’s online lottery.
iDEA, whose self-stated aim is to ‘grow jobs and expand online interactive entertainment business in the United States through advocacy and education’, has also published model legislation for states seeking to legalize sports wagering. It covers off agreements and levels of licensing/permits; fees for gaming entities, account setup for customers; tracking of funding and gaming transactions; and tax and revenue.