Georgia officials must wait longer before the federal government determines whether the current online lottery here and in other states are legal.
U.S. Justice Department officials have extended its deadline for issuing a ruling in the matter, according to a letter the Georgia Attorney General’s office shared Tuesday with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The deadline was June, but federal officials wrote last week they will wait until Dec. 31 or until a ruling in a New Hampshire court case before issuing an opinion.
The opinion involves an interpretation of the federal Wire Act, which was enacted in the 1960s to hobble the mob’s gambling business.
The Justice Department concluded in 2011 that the law doesn't apply to state-run lotteries, but the agency reversed course in November at the urging of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, a Republican mega-donor.
The federal government’s prior opinion, if strictly interpreted, could outlaw lottery tickets sold online and prohibit popular multistate games like Powerball and result in less money to the popular lottery-funded programs in Georgia such as the HOPE college scholarship and pre-kindergarten education. Gov. Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr wrote a letter to the Justice Department several months ago seeking clarity on the matter.
Staff writer Greg Bluestein contributed to this report.
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