Leading lawyer discusses the fallout from latest iGaming dentention
Thursday 7th September 2006
In the light of the arrest of Sportingbet’s Peter Dicks in the United States this morning, concerns are growing as to what this means for the industry, especially as it comes only three months after David Carruthers’ detainment. iGamingBusiness spoke with leading gaming lawyer Hilary Stewart Jones of BerwinLeightonPaisner about the case and whether it sets a pattern.
“It might set a pattern, or it might have happened thanks to the particular political climate with the Goodlatte/Leach Bill still on the block. Whether it slips off of the political agenda or not is too early to say,” she said. “The BetonSports document was very carefully crafted and alleged an awful lot over a long period of time. We have no idea whether the same careful evidenece has been out together with regards to SportingBet. It wasn’t an off the cuff thing with BoS, whereas we’re not sure where this is going.”
Still, Jones believes that this will not be the first of many arrests. “I’d be very surprised if there were more arrests. Why would people go to the States at all? Why test the system?”
Although she does not believe that travel to the United States is going to be a permanent issue for sports book providers, she does suggest caution be applied, even by poker and casino board members. “Given that what apparently happened was only a sports book, one is tempted to say it’s only them, but who knows might be arrested. It’s too early to tell if this is only aimed at sports books.”
In the light of the arrest of Sportingbet’s Peter Dicks in the United States this morning, concerns are growing as to what this means for the industry, especially as it comes only three months after David Carruthers’ detainment. iGamingBusiness spoke with leading gaming lawyer Hilary Stewart Jones of BerwinLeightonPaisner about the case and whether it sets a pattern.