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The US Wire Act case oral argument to be heard on 18 June

The coronavirus pandemic continues and so does several oral arguments. This clearly means the one involving the United States Wire Act proceedings. In the latest update, the oral argument in the case of New Hampshire Lottery Commission et al. v. United States Department of Justice is now scheduled to take place on Thursday, 18 June 2020 at 10 am before the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

On 26 February the Wire Act took a step forward when the plaintiffs filed their briefs with the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. This will be between the New Hampshire Lottery Commission (NHLC), and the two companies that provide software solutions for its operations, NeoPollard Interactive LLC and Pollard Banknote.

According to the interstate US Wire Act of 1961, certain types of gambling operations were prohibited in the US. In 2011, while under the Obama Administration, the DoJ revised its opinion on the Federal Wire Act. The 2011 opinion on the law clarified that the law only covers interstate sports betting and not all forms of online gambling. In 2018. the Trump Administration’s DoJ reversed its opinion on the Act once again saying that it does not apply to all forms of online gambling, as well as sports betting.

In January 2019, the DoJ delayed the implementation of the new Wire Act opinion for 90 days and once again on 1 March 2020, the DoJ extended the date by another 60 days. Lotteries, multi-state games like Powerball and Mega Millions, a number of states and vendors have filed amicus briefs to present information to the courts.

Supporting New Hampshire’s case are 19 states and lottery commissions, International Game Technology Inc., Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers, and the iDevelopment and Economic Association. The recent update states that the First Circuit Court of Appeal will be held via audio conference on 18 June with lawyers from both sides presenting their cases. The oral argument will be going online because to the restrictions still in place due to the pandemic.  

So stay tuned to GutshotMagazine.com for latest updates on the US Wire Act case.

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