US DOJ Takes On iMEGA

Interactive Media Entertaiment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) has appealed its motion that has been propagated by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) in an attempt to revise the 1991 federal law that prevents state-controlled sports betting.

iMEGA filed the brief on Friday and was accompanied by New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak and Senate President Stephen Sweeney who is with the US Circuit Court.

Their lawsuit iMEGA, et al v. Eric Holder, Attorney-General of the United States, originally filed by Lesniak and iMEGA in March this year, their aim is to contest and nullify Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which in 1992 has been enacted.

The three stooges; iMEGA, Lesniak and Sweeney’s are of the opinion that PASPA is unconstitutional and it discriminates against the people of New Jersey, allowing four states to be exempted by the law; Delaware, Montana, Nevada and Oregon – harvesting tax from sports betting gambling revenues in contrast to New Jersey who’s not permitted.

The lawsuit champions sports betting and they also feel that the current bill represents an unconstitutional intrusion by the Federal government pertaining to this issue.  Gambling is to be regulated and controlled by the various States in the US and the initiative should be taken from there the lawsuit contests.

Joe Brennan Jr iMEGA’s chairman said: “They are reasonably confident that the court would rule in favour of them and the government’s motion would be denied.  He said their lawsuit has merit and has been acknowledged in past Federal Court cases.”

Brennan continues and said the DOJ initially opposed PASPA in 1991 as it climbed the arduous ladder in congress by saying that state-controlled gambling was against the constitution. “The DOJ has a tough nut to crack here,” he said. “The irony is how can it impose a law that it initially said was unconstitutional?”

In the meantime heated discussion between Lesniak and iMEGA have been ongoing behind the scenes with US casino giant Harrah’s, they accused Harrah’s of obstructing attempts to a sport betting referendum in order to legalise it at the state’s racetracks and casinos.  Harrah’s heftily denied theses allegations and also efforts to pass a bill prohibiting Atlantic City’s casinos to offer their games via the internet.  Harrah’s is supportive of a nationwide regulatory solution for egaming.

The US Circuit Court is expected to rule on the DOJ’s motion by the end of this year.