California | Legislation | Regulation

Justice Department opinion adds to debate on Internet gaming

Thursday, January 5, 2012

A legal opinion from the Department of Justice is stirring the already-complicated debate over Internet gaming.

The opinion essentially allows state governments to use the Internet to sell lottery tickets. That could mean tribes will be able to engage in similar forms of gaming online.

But tribes have major concerns about the Internet, according to the National Indian Gaming Association. They want to protect their existing Class III gaming compacts, which often provide exclusivity for certain games in a certain region.

“Now they are concerned that this ruling is going to be the impetus for the federal legislation,” Penny Coleman, an attorney who used to work for the National Indian Gaming Commission, told Politico. “They’re worried there’s going to be this big push now.”

Only a handful of tribes have said they are ready to jump into the Internet gaming industry.

Get the Story:
DOJ Internet gambling ruling splits tribes (Politico 1/5)
For online gaming, Obama administration leaves uncertainty in California (Capitol Weekly 1/5)
Online Gambling Is No Sure Bet For States Even With DOJ Ruling (The Huffington Post 1/4)