Lawsuits By Online Gamblers Fail

They claimed that they lost their wagers due to racketeering by these casinos and credit card companies. A panel of three judges did not agree with the plaintiffs and found no violation of the laws governing federal racketeering and of the Wire Act of l96l. This follows Thursday's decision to throw out a class-action suit by internet gamblers who lost their wagers.

The Wire Act of l96l is the only law to date that has some control over internet gambling. Experts have argued about whether the Wire Act applies to internet gambling. However, the U.S. Justice Dept. sent a letter to the Gaming Control Board in Nevada stating the validity of the Wire Act to internet gambling. Yet, the Federal Appeals Court, in its ruling on Thursday did not go along with the U.S. Justice Department's interpretation.

The Federal Appeals Court said, "The district court concluded that the Wire Act concerns gambling on sporting events or contests and that the plaintiffs had failed to allege that they had engaged in internet sports gambling."