DOJ extends Wire Act enforcement window a further 60 days
Operators will now have until June 14 to comply with new interpretation
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced it will extend the window in which operators can comply with its interpretation of the Wire Act for another 60 days.
Under the extension, egaming operators will now have until June 14 to comply with the revised interpretation or potentially face enforcement actions by the DOJ.
Previously, the window had been set to expire on April 15 but in the interim, several lawsuits have been launched against the DOJ over the new interpretation by the New Hampshire Lottery Commission and Neopollard Interactive.
In February, the attorney-generals of New Jersey and Pennsylvania penned a joint letter to the DOJ saying that it should “withdraw its opinion altogether or assure us that DOJ will not bring any enforcement actions against companies and individuals engaged in online gaming in our states – where it is appropriate under state law.”
New Jersey trade association iDEA launched its own lawsuit against the DOJ at the end of February, claiming the new opinion “ignores judicial precedent”.
These lawsuits are expected to conclude before the new end of the enforcement window.
Following the DOJ opinion, regulators and operators alike have been playing catch-up, with Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board chief Kevin O’Toole saying the new opinion was causing “modest delays” to the roll out of egaming in Pennsylvania.