Alberto Gonzales Lawsuit Could Set PrecedentThe Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association (iMEGA) filed a request Tuesday seeking judgment restraining the United States and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales from enforcing the "Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006" (UIGEA). The current law prevents U.S. credit-card companies and banks from processing payments to online gambling businesses.
iMEGA is believed to be made up of many different individuals with extensive amounts of funding. Rumors that a suit against Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, one of the architects of UIGEA, is forthcoming have not been confirmed.
The news is some of the best for a billion dollar online gambling industry that has seen its fair share of ups and downs - but mostly downs - over the past nine months.
Eric Martin Bernstein, Esq. represents iMEGA and is presently speaking at an online gambling industry tradeshow in Montreal, Canada this week.
"The purpose of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is to
prevent Americans from engaging in their fundamental rights to conduct
their lives in the manner they wish to live it - to be free from the
government imposing public morality in the privacy of one's home", says
Eric M. Bernstein, Esq., attorney for iMEGA.
The lawsuit also seeks to stop the enforcement of the UIGEA based on the
recent ruling of the World Trade Organization in a final appeal which
found the United States in contempt of treaty obligations regarding
Internet gambling. Washington spokesmen recently said the United States
would not appeal the ruling in favor of Antigua and Barbuda, the
Caribbean nation which won the WTO challenge against the US and one
nation where Internet gambling is legal. Instead, Washington says, the
US will try to modify its treaty obligation to eliminate Internet
gambling. The WTO ruling permits sanctions to be imposed against the
US.
With 25 years of experience, Mr. Bernstein handles matters on a wide range of subjects within the labor / employment law fields, including general advice and assistance, contract negotiations, interest and grievance arbitrations, fact-finding and mediation, disciplinary matters involving public safety and non-public safety employees.
As a municipal attorney, Mr. Bernstein has handled such diverse issues as land use matters, ethics issues, municipal construction, local public contracts law issues, tax appeals, open space acquisition and government affairs. And as a board of education attorney, Mr. Bernstein has handled matters of special education, teacher/student discipline and budget appeals.
In regard to First Amendment / Internet law, Mr. Bernstein is a member of the First Amendment Lawyer's Association and the Free Speech Coalition. Mr. Bernstein handles all aspects of First Amendment and Internet law, except for patent issues.
In addition to his practice, Mr. Bernstein is a regular and frequently requested speaker at state and national organizations and has been teaching for the Rutgers University Bureau of Government Research since the early 1980s. Mr. Bernstein has written articles for publication and serves as a Director of the New Jersey State Bar Association Local Government Law Section, where he was previously Vice President and Editor of its newsletter.
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Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com
Originally published June 5, 2007 6:40 pm ET
