This Week in Gambling: Justice Department abandons online gambling fight

In what could be the most important story for online gambling news in America, the Department of Justice has given up their fight to criminalize the activity. What that means for online casinos and online poker in the U.S. has huge implications.

Also, we're looking at the status of casino openings across America, and especially in Las Vegas where many still remained closed... some of which may never open again.

It’s been a long, difficult fight… but it’s finally over. The U.S. Department of Justice lost a Wire Act decision again, but this time they will not appeal that ruling.

The First Circuit Court of Appeals has determined once and for all that the 1961 Federal Wire Act only applies only to sports betting, not to other forms of online casino games or poker. And in regard to sports betting, the Act only applies to bets placed across state lines, or what's called "interstate gambling".

The Justice Department had attempted all sorts of fancy legal maneuvers, some of which put at risk activities such as the multi-state Powerball lottery. Now that the case is over, and the threat of the Wire Act removed, online casino games and poker can move forward more quickly.

Furthermore, for smaller states that may lack the liquidity needed to make online poker profitable, this decision clears the way for web based poker games to extend a across state lines.



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