News and Analysis
Michigan Online Casinos Go Live!
The MGCB has permitted eight online casinos to go live from today, Friday 22nd January. The first round of license holders includes; BetMGM, Fanduel, BetRivers, DraftKings, and Golden Nugget Casinos, some of which have been accepted pre-registration since last month in preparation for today.
Whether you’re a new online player located in MI or a seasoned pro, you can discover the best MI online casinos, bonuses, and essential information about gambling in this state in our Online Casinos Michigan guide!
Indiana Pushes for Online Gambling with Bill 1406
Indiana House Representative, Alan Morrison, has filed Bill 1406 for consideration. The bill aims to legalize all forms of online casino gambling in the state and outlines implementation (licensing costs, setup ext). Should the bill pass successfully, it makes way for legal online casino gaming to go live from September 2021 and would allow each license holder three online casino skins. Come on, Indiana!
NJ Operators Receive a Warning Over Incentivising Reverse Withdrawals
The NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement has issued a warning to its online licensees after a gambling review uncovered that operators have been incentivizing players to reverse withdrawal requests. The NDGE had received complaints about slow withdrawals, which prompted the investigation, resulting in the NDGE finding that operators had been offering players bonuses to reverse withdrawal requests. The NJDGE issued the warning based on the following areas of regulation:
- N.J.A.C. 13:69O-1.3(g): Withdrawals may only be delayed for legitimate reasons such as conducting anti-money laundering or fraud checks.
- N.J.A.C. 13:69O-1.3(d): This rule sets out how gambling accounts can be funded; reverse withdrawals are not stated as a legal funding method and therefore should not be used or incentivized.
The NJDGE states that withdrawals should only be re-deposited at the player’s request and goes against NJDGE rules if incentivized by the operator. DGE Director David Rebuck added in his official statement, “
“The Division has determined that the current rules, taken as a whole, prohibit the practice of soliciting, either overtly or covertly, the rescission or reversal of withdrawals once requested by a patron. The encouragement or incentivization of such rescissions are inconsistent with the intent of having speedy and consistent withdrawals, with a minimal delay solely for the purpose of checking for fraudulent activity [….]. Operators should clearly understand that the Division will take regulatory action and impose civil penalties whenever patrons are improperly encouraged or incentivized to rescind their withdrawal requests for the purpose of resuming gaming activity,”
While it’s not great news that some online casinos in NJ are delaying patron withdrawals hoping they can convince the player to keep the money in the casino, it is great to see the NJDGE taking swift action based on player complaints.
Caesars and 888 Continue WSOP Partnership
888 holdings and Caesars Interactive have agreed to a multi-year extension to their Poker deal, which sees Ceasars using 888’s turnkey poker platform in the US. 888, which currently powers WSOP branded online poker and the US’s only interstate network, gains access to additional US jurisdictions through the extension, allowing them to offer poker and in-house casino products to all Caesars online casinos.
Wire Act DOJ Repeal Fails at First Circuit
The First District Court of Appeal has given its ruling on the 1961 Wire Act’s potential repeal, finding that it is not warranted and confirming that the act only applies to sports betting.
The case began after the DOJ issued a 2018 letter entitled, “Reconsidering Whether the Wire Act Applies to Non-Sports Gambling”; it concluded that the Wire Act was not only applicable to sports, affecting other areas such as lottery sales, and therefore required reform.
The court considered both interpretations of the Wire Act, which mostly came down to grammatical arguments about the wording and punctuation of two clauses (see below), before presenting its ruling that the Wire Act is only applicable to sports betting and therefore does not need repeal. The 1961 Wire Act is contentious because it’s somewhat ambiguous by modern-day standards. Essentially, the Wire Act prohibits any form of virtual gambling on sports, either interstate or offshore, by outlawing accepting bets remotely using “wire communications.”
“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.”
As the word contest is used in addition to “sporting event,” it’s been hotly debated and interpreted over the years as to whether this includes casino gaming. However, the presiding interpretation of wire communication does not include the internet. The new judgment confirms that the wire act is meant to only apply to sports betting, not the lottery or other gambling forms, although the DOJ may still challenge the ruling.
New Game Releases
We’ve only got one new game for you this week, but not to worry, it’s a juicy title that’ll keep you spinning through-out the next 7-days!
Frost Queen Jackpots: Yggdrasil. RTP 96%.
Released just yesterday, Frost Queen is the latest addition to US casinos from Yggdrasil. Get ready for a jackpot adventure into the cold and icy heart of Frost Queen’s kingdom as you spin the 5x3, 20 line reels.
Like all Yggdrasil games, this epic adventure slot combines beautiful graphics with excellent mechanics and features, including five different free spin games, an infinite treasure chest bonus round, click and pick bonus, and max prizes up to $50,000!
With stakes starting from $0.20-40.00, this new game is a low volatility slot, so you can expect frequent win hits! Take a look at this red hot slot in the trailer, then check out our top-rated Yggdrasil Casinos, where you can take it for a spin in real or in demo mode!
Ok, folks, that's it for this week, but well be back next week with more games and news. And if you're an MI player, don't forget to check out our brand new MI casino reviews to get the best bonuses on the market!
