Lawsuits Pile Up Against Social Casino Operators in Washington State in Wake of Big Fish Ruling
Posted on: April 11, 2018, 08:16h.
Last updated on: April 11, 2018, 11:11h.
A federal court ruling that Churchill Downs’ Big Fish Casino violated Washington State gaming laws has prompted a slew of class action lawsuits against other social games operators in the Evergreen State.
Three new class action lawsuits were filed this week, levelling accusations of illegal gambling against Huuuge Games, DoubleDown Interactive, High 5 Games and Playtika.
Last month, the Ninth Circuit US Court of Appeals said that the virtual chips used in Big Fish’s Casino Games were “something of value,” despite a lack of direct monetary worth.
This meant their use for playing games of chance at Big Fish Casino constituted real gambling, which Washington State defines as “risking something of value on the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under the person’s control or influence to receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome.”
“Despite collecting millions in revenue, Churchill Downs, like Captain Renault in Casablanca, purports to be shocked — shocked! — to find that Big Fish Casino could constitute illegal gambling. We are not,” wrote Judge Milan D. Smith in his ruling.
PokerStars Blocks Play Money
The judgment has opened the legal floodgates and could have troubling repercussions for the social gaming industry in the US, since many states share Washington’s definition of gambling, almost word for word.
Last week the Washington State Gambling Commission announced that PokerStars and several other sites offering play-money social casino games had blocked players in Washington.
The initial case was brought by a former Big Fish player who claimed she had spent more than $1,000 playing on the site. Her claim against Big Fish was originally shot down by a court in Seattle in 2016, a decision that was overturned last month.
Damages Sought
The new lawsuits level similar claims, namely that the named operators offer “illegal gambling games” because they are contests of chance in which “something of value” is wagered.
They ask that the companies in question are banned from operating. As well as seeking damages they are also asking for class action status for the suits, which means, theoretically, that anyone who has spent money on the sites could join the suits and also seek damages.
The similarity between micro-transaction-based games of chance and games of chance found in casinos has caused governments across the world to intervene to limit their availability,” states one of the lawsuits.
“Unfortunately, such games have eluded regulation in the United States. As a result, and as described below, Defendant’s Huuuge Casino has thrived and thousands of consumers have spent millions of dollars unwittingly playing Defendant’s unlawful games of chance.”
Similar cases have been brought before in other states, but have been thrown out. The Big Fish case is an outlier and the social casino industry is expected to appeal.
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Last Comments ( 36 )
It went a lot farther than that. No it was not fair at all because Moslem accts were awarded more crowns while you as not were receiving less. The majority of them moved up fast and you did not. All of this has been screen shot, and a years worth of it. By being taken over by Moslem money, not only where you being robbed of the money you spent thinking it was fair play but also helping in funding illegal terrorisim. They are seriously going to be ran through the mill. They, well there is a lot more. But most of all these sites are being bought out by China, Russia, and Islam and used not for fair play, but for them to smuggle in, fund, and cheat honest American players. So yes it is gambling at its worst form.
Bigfish also blocks you on Facebook page when you leave a complaint comments, They remove your comment and block you. They are rigged gaming and should get shutdown. As they are deceiving in many ways.
I’m so happy for those of you who posted here that you never had a problem. I on the other hand was targeted and seduced and yes as one person said my addictive personality disorders and my mental illness of depression and anxiety were played upon. They targeted me to lose more the more I bought. They are cheaters and liars and they abuse their customers! You don’t know how? Well you obviously are perfect and have not had this happen to you. Until you do - don’t bash us! I want in on this case! I want a chance to show that we were not stupid! We were not dumb! We were tricked seduced and manipulated to their greed. Please add me to this case! Or I’ll start my own!
I need to be added
Big Fish Casino and Jackpot Magic Slots is not honest and has taken THOUSANDS from me. They prey on individuals that want to play a game and before you know it you’re spending thousands of dollars. I have been on both sites for 5+ years and feel cheated BIG TIME!! please include me on this list of people feeling robbed and cheated. Not to mention multiple duplicate charges that they claim I’ve done, yet my credit card had been removed and locked but charges are still trying to be put through. Apple locked my ID permanently because of all duplicate charges. It’s crazy trying to decend yourself on a game! I was cheated, aggravated and frustrated!! Robbed! They DO control our wins and that is not right. We agree to pay real money to play a game and expect $1,000 would last a lifetime- considering it’s a GAME and we don’t win real money. Someone stop the theft already!
If you're stupid enough to spend thousands of dollars on a "social casino app" that you can't even win anything from, I have 0 empathy for you.
same here as written above by jess i have spent over years over 40thousand dollars and it is rigged dont judge me but want in on law suit against bf
She sued for $1000. I have proof that I've spent $10,000 over the past 3 years on both of big fish's apps combined. The free coins they give you are not nearly enough to sustain you and are a joke for the losses incurred in only 15 minutes of play. It is also true that they "advertise" as a social gaming site where the odds are the same for everyone. This is not true. Once they see that you buy, they make you lose more and more because they think that you will keep buying more and larger amounts.. I have been on big fish casino for 7 years and every year it's gotten worse with the odds/losing. There is no way it is like a real casino. I will be looking to join any class action suit, as I've been done with purchasing on big fish casino as of 1/1/18. It's a scam. These new owners are the WORST YET!!
yes i would like in on big fish law suit i have spent thousand of dollars over last 5 years and they fix how u win
How can I get in on huge class action lawsuit? They refuse to help solve my problems with thousands of dollars in duplicate charges. They’ve destroyed me financially.
I want in on the one filed against huuge casino. Please keep me in the loop. Rhey are crocks and claim it's like real casino. It's not they robbed me of my purchase and refused to give it to me. I had proof and everything.
This really is really ridiculous!!! No one forced anyone to make in app purchases, which virtually all gaming apps have. These games CAN be played without purchasing anything! BFC gives free chips every half hour, via email and Facebook. I know other casino games do as well. Under this ruling Candy Crush and words with friends word also be in violation if one were to make an in app purchase. Where does it end? These are games! Things we do to relax, have fun, relieve stress, pass the time, etc...if someone decides to spend money during that time, on their game, that is up the the individual!
If you’re during huuug casino and huuug billionaire casino I want in!
This is the stupidest decision I have ever heard of...these plaintiffs and judges are totally insane!! PLAY MONEY! What is so hard to understand???? We should all sue Cheryl Kater for being stupid.
The games are rigged to make paying customers with mental illness buy more and more. The playing is not equal and it makes the ones who purchase lose chips.. It is an abuse of a mental illness where the addiction causes you to go into debt over false advertising.. The odds are against the ones who are sick and not close to fair.