Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel calls on a federal court to reject the latest opinion by way of the U.S. Department of Justice that announces online country lotteries are unlawful under a federal regulation called the Wire Act. Michigan filed an amicus quick this week opposing the Justice Department’s new criminal opinion that reverses its earlier 2011 position that the Wire Act applies most effectively to interstate wire communications in sports having a bet. Michigan changed into joined the amicus short by eleven different states and the District of Columbia. They argue the Wire Act makes most effective sports-
associated with interstate gambling is illegal. The quick asks the federal court to claim that the Wire Act “does not apply to the non-sports activities of government-carried out lotteries,” and seeks a permanent injunction against the Justice Department from performing to put into effect its new opinion. “Attorney General Nessel is pursuing this attempt to protect sales for Michigan faculty and Michigan college students,” said Kelly Rossman-McKinney, director of communications for Nessel. Rossman-McKinney says the Michigan Lottery generates more than $900 million in 12 months to fund Michigan colleges. That revenue would be at risk if the Justice Department’s new interpretation were upheld via the court docket.
“If the Justice Department were to be successful, it would place Michigan’s Lottery and faculties in an untenable role. And this is both to forgo the sales that the lottery generates for the faculty and to break federal regulations. Those will be the most effective two selections,” said Rossman-McKinney. “What the character states, which includes Michigan, would retain to do that, pursuing shielding the lottery could be speculative at this point.