Vig & Juice

Vig & Juice is a podcast discussing the history and legality of gambling and sports betting in the U.S. hosted by Sports & Gaming Law attorneys at Vela Wood. In this episode of Vig & Juice, we break down season 5, episode 3 of Against the Rules with Michael Lewis, which explores how fantasy sports moved from a legal gray area to a state-sanctioned industry. We examine the pivotal role of attorney Jeremy Kudon in crafting legislation that legitimized fantasy sports, the strategic targeting of states like Kansas, and what this means for the next wave of fantasy sports operators navigating today’s increasingly complex legal landscape. You can subscribe to Vela Wood’s Fantasy Sports & Gaming Newsletter here. Time Stamps :42 – Jeremy Kudon’s Legal Strategy in Kansas 2:13 – Fantasy Sports Regulatory Frameworks Across States 6:43 –  The Rise and Fall of State Fantasy Sports Regulation 10:45 – Advice for New Fantasy Contest Operators 12:20 – Effects of Inconsistencies within Legislative Drafting References Against the Rules Season 5, Episode 3: Welcome to the Garden State Fantasy Sports Gaming Association Kansas – Sports Wagering Regulations Article 112 Jeremy Kudon Related Content Sports Betting & Fantasy Sports Regulation Map Fantasy Sports Legislation Tracker Sports Betting Tracker  Vig & Juice Ep.5: PASPA Vig & Juice Ep.8: Regulation Updates in Texas and Nationwide (UIGEA)  The Repeal of PASPA Texas Gaming Update: 2024 Year-End Review

Vig & Juice is a podcast discussing the history and legality of gambling and sports betting in the U.S. hosted by Sports & Gaming Law attorneys at Vela Wood. In this episode of Vig & Juice, we begin with an overview of the current sports betting landscape and then introduce a new miniseries we’re launching to discuss season 4 of Against the Rules with Michael Lewis, which covers sports betting. In this episode we discuss legal topics related to episodes 1 and 2 of Against the Rules, including the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (“PASPA”), which was passed with the intention of protecting the purity of sports. You can subscribe to Vela Wood’s Fantasy Sports & Gaming Updates here. Time Stamps :18 – Sports Betting Landscape Overview 4:05 – Texas Sports Landscape 5:45 – DFS Regulation Slowdown 9:21 – Intro to Against the Rules Series 13:30 – PASPA: Protecting the Sanctity of Sports 17:40 – Sports as a Business 19:55 – Responsible Gaming References Texas House Joint Resolution 134 Fantasy Sports Gaming Association Against the Rules Season Four, Episode 1: What’s Wrong with Eric? Against the Rules Season Four, Episode 2: Values of the Game 47.2 Texas Penal Code  Related Content Texas Gaming Update: 2024 Year-End Review Sports Betting Tracker Vig & Juice Ep.5: PASPA The Repeal of PASPA

Vig & Juice is a podcast discussing the history and legality of gambling and sports betting in the U.S. hosted by Sports & Gaming Law attorneys at Vela Wood. In this special episode, VW attorneys Blake Hart, Kevin Vela, and Rad Wood unpack the rules and exemptions that govern the popular tradition of March Madness bracket pools. We want to give you a heads-up that the sound quality in this episode isn’t quite up to our usual standards due to some technical difficulties. However, we know the conversation is timely, so we’re sharing it as is. Thanks for your patience and we promise clearer audio in future episodes! Time Stamps 2:10 – Office Pool Phenomenon 2:50 – Private Place, Legal Space? 5:36 – How Much Skill is Involved? 7:31 – Private Place Betting: Legal Here, Risky There 13:11 – Raking in Money? Texas Statute Keeps the Pot Dry 16:23 – ESPN Bracket: Legal by Design References Who invented the March Madness bracket? New York bar and Kentucky postal worker stake claims Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 Gambling in Texas A Guide To Understanding The Wire Act Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest The absurd odds of a perfect NCAA bracket Related Content Vig & Juice Ep.1: Three Elements of Gambling Vig & Juice Ep.3: The Wire Act Vig & Juice Ep.5: PASPA Sports Betting Legislation Tracker The Repeal of PASPA This information is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.

Vig & Juice is a podcast discussing the history and legality of gambling and sports betting in the U.S. hosted by Sports & Gaming Law attorneys at Vela Wood. In this episode, we go over our recent Quarterly Texas Gaming Update Newsletter and discuss fantasy sports and sports wagering regulation updates in Texas and nationwide. You can subscribe to Vela Wood’s Fantasy Sports & Gaming Updates here. Regarding our discussion starting at 8:35, here are the statistics we said we would provide for the crossover of states. There are currently only twelve states that have not yet legalized sports wagering. Eight of those twelve do not regulate fantasy sports either, but fantasy contests are offered without issue in the absence of state regulation. The status of fantasy sports in the four remaining states is informative as well, so we have included it below. States Where Fantasy Sports Contests Are Currently Offered Without Regulation But Sports Wagering Is Not: Alaska, California, Georgia, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah States Where Fantasy Sports Contests Are Regulated And Offered But Sports Wagering is Not: Alabama and Missouri States Where Fantasy Sports And Sports Wagering Are Both Currently Prohibited: Hawaii and Idaho Time Stamps 0:51 – Nationwide Trends for Fantasy Sports Laws & Sports Wagering Laws 3:03 – Fantasy Sports Regulation History & Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) 8:35 –  Unregulated Jurisdictions 11:58 – 2023 Texas Regulation Updates 14:09 – Pressures Around Texas Regulation 17:06 – Prosecution of Operators 21:50 – Circumstances of Texas Legislation & Predictions References Quarterly Texas Gaming Update Newsletter Legal Sports Report Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 Texas Attor­ney Gen­er­al Pax­ton 2016 Opin­ion on Dai­ly Paid ‘Fan­ta­sy Sports’ Site Texas House Bill 4703 Related Content Fantasy Sports and Sports Betting Deals Five Things to Consider Before Starting Your DFS Company The Repeal of PASPA

Vig & Juice is a podcast discussing the history and legality of gambling and sports betting in the U.S. hosted by Sports & Gaming Law attorneys at Vela Wood. In this episode, we discuss shifts in the Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) landscape, including DFS leaders moving into sports betting, how regulators are approaching non-traditional fantasy games, and our predictions for the political battles that lie ahead. Time Stamps 0:45 – Recent Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) Shifts 3:35 – DFS Movement Leaders Moving into Sports Betting, Against Fantasy 5:35 – Shifting Legal Landscape of DFS 6:45 – Sports Wagering Laws Mentioning Fantasy 7:40 – Educating Regulators About Creative Games 8:10 – Understanding Skill: Single-Player v. Two-Player 12:28 – State Regulation Status Updates 13:22 – State Fantasy Governing Authority 15:35 – New York Regulation History 18:30 – Dominant Factor Test v. Material Element Test 20:30 – Final Predictions References Top Sports Betting Stocks for Q4 2022 What Is The Dominant Factor Test? Related Content Sports Betting Legislation Tracker Fantasy Sports Contest Legislation Tracker

Vig & Juice is a podcast discussing the history and legality of gambling and sports betting in the U.S. hosted by Sports & Gaming Law attorneys at Vela Wood. In this episode, we discuss the two sports betting bills proposed in this year’s legislative session, HB 2070 and HB 1121, which sought to legalize sports betting in Texas, and we share our predictions for when sports betting could realistically be legalized in Texas. Time Stamps 1:30 – Texas’ Constitutional Amendment Process 3:50 – Legalization Support Poll 5:20 – Brick-and-Mortar v. Digital Sports Betting 9:15 – HB 1120 Fees, Licenses & Skins 10:45 – Legalization Red Tape 12:30 – Legalization Timeline Predictions 15:30 – Lack of Enforcement 17:00 – Payment Processing 19:15 – Final Predictions References Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association Dallas Morning News: Most Texans want casino gambling, but lawmakers unwilling to roll the dice (University of Texas at Tyler poll) Related Content Texas Sports Betting Bill – H.B. 1121 Texas Amendment Would Open Door For Commercial Casinos The Repeal of PASPA Sports Betting Legislation Tracker Fantasy Sports Contest Legislation Tracker

Vig & Juice is a podcast discussing the history and legality of gambling and sports betting in the U.S. hosted by Sports & Gaming Law attorneys at Vela Wood. In this episode, we discuss PASPA, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, including its carveouts and nationalization issues as well sports leagues’ role as enforcers of PASPA. Time Stamps 0:55 – 1992 Song Game 4:00 – Role of PASPA 5:15 – Circumstances Surrounding Legislation 7:45 – Nationalization Issues & Carveouts 9:40 – Betting Cards 11:50 – Civil Statute & Private Actors 13:50 – Why Leagues Care 16:00 – Jai Alai & Para Mutual Betting 17:55 – Scandals & Sports Leagues 21:10 – PASPA Repeal Preview Related Content The Repeal of PASPA Sports Betting Legislation Tracker Fantasy Sports Contest Legislation Tracker Why Playing Fantasy Sports Is Legal (For The Most Part)

Vig & Juice is a podcast discussing the history and legality of gambling and sports betting in the U.S. hosted by Sports & Gaming Law attorneys at Vela Wood. In this episode, we discuss the Travel Act of 1961, including Robert Kennedy taking down the mob, gambling’s association with other nefarious activities, and the role of federalizing state laws. Time Stamps 1:15 – Name That Kennedy Trivia 3:25 – Robert Kennedy Taking Down the Mob 4:50 – What is the Travel Act? 6:20 – The Mob’s Gambling Tactics 7:45 – Gambling & Other Nefarious Activities 12:00 – Breaking Down the Travel Act 13:30 – Federalizing State Laws 16:25 – Federal Blanket v. Federal Floor Related Content Robert Kennedy’s House Committee Speech FSGA Summer Conference 2019 Fantasy Sports Contest Legislation Tracker Sports Betting Legislation Tracker  The Repeal of PASPA Why Playing Fantasy Sports Is Legal (For The Most Part)

Vig & Juice is a podcast discussing the history and legality of gambling and sports betting in the U.S. hosted by Sports & Gaming Law attorneys at Vela Wood. In this episode, we cover arguably the most monumental piece of legislation regarding sports betting – the Wire Act of 1961 – which prohibited using wire communication for betting and wagering across state lines. We discuss what the Wire Act means for online gambling and whether the act applies only to sports betting or to gambling in general. Paragraph A Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. Time Stamps 1:30 – U.S. in the 50s 5:50 – The Wire Act 6:25 – JFK’s Suggested Remarks 7:20 – Wire Communication Facility 8:20 – Wireless Communication 9:30 – IL and NY Online State Lotteries 11:05 – 2011 DOJ Opinion (Narrow View) 13:15 – 2018 DOJ Opinion (Broad View) 14:30 – Safe Harbor Exemption 16:55 – Paragraph A 22:10 – Casinos’ Interest 23:10 – Reaction & Future Related Content The Repeal of PASPA Why Playing Fantasy Sports Is Legal (For The Most Part) Fantasy Sports Contest Legislation Tracker

Vig & Juice is a podcast discussing the history and legality of gambling and sports betting in the U.S. hosted by Sports & Gaming Law attorneys at Vela Wood. In this episode, we discuss the first sports betting in the U.S. up to the Wire Act of 1961, including horse racing, the spectator sport known as pedestrianism, and using state lotteries to fund the Revolutionary War. Time Stamps 0:45 – Episode Recap 1:30 – State Lotteries Funding Universities & Revolutionary War 3:05 – Horse Racing 5:09 – Pedestrianism 7:11 – Games of Skill 8:50 – States Outlawing, Early 1900s 9:44 – Nevada Legalizing Casinos & Sports Betting 10:08 – Federal Revenue Act of 1951 – Taxing Wagers 10:37 – Relationship to Economic Climate 11:08 – Taxing Vices, Prohibition 12:10 – Morality/Immorality of Gambling 13:10 – Connections to Organized Crime 14:10 – Transition to Wire Act 14:47 – Black Sox Scandal 15:45 – Baseball Commissioners Show Notes In The 1870s And ’80s, Being A Pedestrian Was Anything But (NPR) The Repeal of PASPA Why Playing Fantasy Sports Is Legal (For The Most Part) Fantasy Sports Contest Legislation Tracker