Supreme Court, there's little to stop the continued growth of online poker in the U.S. The state had brought suit against the government after a late 2018 memo changed the Department of Justice's stance on the matter. District Court in favor of New Hampshire. That followed an initial, identical June 2019 ruling by a U.S. The First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Wire Act applies only to sporting events and contests, meaning online lottery - and, of interest to the poker industry, interstate online poker - does not violate U.S. government, reported Jeff Ifrah, a lawyer in the case. New Hampshire won its second consecutive court victory against the U.S. The way may be clear for online poker legislation in the U.S.