The Supreme Court’s recent invalidation of a federal ban on casino advertising by broadcasters was an important victory for commercial speech, but was not startling.
In Greater New Orleans Broadcasting Association v. United States, 119 S. Ct. 1923 (June 14, 1999), a unanimous Court held that 18 U.S.C. �1304 violated the First Amendment rights of television and radio broadcasters located in Louisiana and other states where private casinos are legal. Eight justices agreed that the ban failed the Court’s four-part test for commercial speech restrictions outlined in Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. v. Public Service Commission, 447 U.S. 557 (1980).
