US Department of Justice responds to Black Friday complaint.

US Department of Justice responds to Black Friday complaint.

Monday, 14 November 2011

Two of the men indicted by Black Friday had sought to get the indictments thrown out on the grounds that the UIGEA did not apply to poker, it being a game of skill. The US Department of Justice responded with a 58-page counter-argument, including a case of mistaken identity in using country and western lyrics to prove a point. No, really.

“Federal courts have repeatedly and consistently upheld [the UIGEA] to poker,” the DoJ said. “For example, at least three Circuits have specifically affirmed a defendant’s conviction where the sole gambling business at issue was the operation of a poker room.”


One of the legal citations is a 1888 case and another argument is that the Kenny Rogers song contains the lyrics “about knowing when to ‘hold em’ and when to ‘fold em’” because it is called “The Gambler.” They do, however, misattribute it to Willie Nelson.


You can read the full 58 page response here.


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Tags: Department of Justice, Black Friday, Willie Nelson