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.

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.

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!

This information is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.

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.

Regarding our discussion starting at 8:35, here are the statistics we said we would provide for the crossover of states.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.