Update 'Sweepstakes Casino Controversy - And Celebrities' All-important Role'
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[bet9ja.com](https://register.bet9ja.com/?btag=yohaig&promocode=yohaig)<br>The smiling faces of Paris Hilton and Ryan Seacrest made surprise looks before the Louisiana Senate for Friday's hearing on unlawful [sports betting](https://www.amedaychats.com/read-blog/880_sports-minister-tracey-crouch-resigns-over-039-delay-039-to-betting-crackdown.html).<br>[bet9ja.com](https://register.bet9ja.com/?btag=yohaig&promocode=yohaig)
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<br>No, they weren't personally in attendance, however the world-famous stars were notably included in a slide presentation on social and sweepstakes gambling establishments - the controversial sites providing both free casino-style video games and lucrative rewards, such as money, gift cards or cryptocurrency. In one advertisement, the fist-pumping Seacrest is seen plugging Chumba Casino, where anyone can 'bet complimentary,' while a crop-topped Hilton holds a chip for sweepstakes operator, Wow Vegas, in the other.<br>
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<br>The sites are just two cogs in the multibillion-dollar market that now discovers itself besieged by suits. In the eyes of many [video gaming](http://www.mizmiz.de/read-blog/77284_how-to-play-bet9ja-online.html) corporations, not to discuss claim complainants and state regulators, sweepstakes gambling establishments serve as standard gambling establishments, only without the oversight, customer securities and tax laws. So not just can they avoid the high 24-percent federal gaming levy, however sweepstakes operators aren't based on [regulative obstacles](https://netgork.com/read-blog/111684_how-to-play-bet9ja-online.html) like anti-money laundering and responsible-gaming protections.<br>
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<br>One operator, Australia-based Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW), reported $4 billion in income in 2015 alone. Now the company faces allegations of prohibited gambling in a New york city claim that claims VGW uses star endorsers to 'produce a veneer of legitimacy' around its product. (See VGW's statement listed below)<br>
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<br>'I'm unsure" if you do not trust us, you can trust Paris Hilton" is a winning message for companies operating multibillion-dollar [illegal operations](https://tribetok.com/read-blog/82_for-sports-gambling-to-be-legalised.html) out of places like Malta, Isle of Man, or US mail drops,' Friday's presenter, Howard Glaser of gaming corporation Light & Wonder, informed DailyMail.com.<br>
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<br>Sweepstakes endorsers consist of a variety of stars from gambling enthusiasts Drake and DJ Khaled to swimmer Michael Phelps, as well as NBA stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Paul George - none of whom provide any differences between conventional gambling and sweepstakes play.<br>
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<br>Paris Hilton is seen plugging Wow Vegas, one of numerous sweepstakes casinos found online<br>
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<br>Ryan Seacrest prompts fans to play at Chumba Casino, where numerous - however not all - games are totally free<br>
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<br>Drake has a handle social [sweeps gambling](https://18plus.fun/read-blog/37_how-to-withdraw-from-bet9ja-8-step-guide-to-money-in-your-wins.html) establishment, Stake, that he routinely touts on social networks<br>
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<br>Read More<br>
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<br>Donald Trump 'set to name NBA team owner as US [ambassador](https://globalunitedspirits.com/read-blog/3642_online-betting-firms-gamble-on-soccer-mad-nigeria.html) to Italy'<br>
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<br>Instead, ads typically center around the social element of the casinos, while omitting the capacity for actual [sports betting](https://clik.social/read-blog/19031_sports-minister-tracey-crouch-resigns-over-039-hold-up-039-to-betting-crackdown.html) losses.<br>
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<br>Others lure customers with guarantees of rewards. One such operator, Stake, ran a social media ad displaying Drake's vehicles, airplanes and mansions before pivoting to video of the rapper playing online casino-style video games.<br>
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<br>'Daddy, why do we have a lot cash?' read the first caption on the screen.<br>
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<br>Another caption explained: 'Because I never provided up.'<br>
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<br>The inconsistency between gaming sites and social or sweepstakes gambling establishments is a bit complex, but operators of the latter insist they're not included with the previous.<br>
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<br>A spokesperson for a market trade group, the Social and Promotional Gaming Association (SPGA), described its members are not in direct competitors with online gambling establishments and sportsbooks. Furthermore, according to SPGA information, many of the gamers on social-sweepstakes gambling establishments are [sports betting](https://noaisocial.pro/read-blog/2358_sports-minister-tracey-crouch-resigns-over-039-delay-039-to-betting-crackdown.html) free.<br>
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<br>'Most social sweeps customers never ever purchase,' the SPGA spokesperson informed DailyMail.com. 'The minority of clients who make purchases do so in amounts far smaller than the typical deposit or bet size at real-money online [sports betting](https://afrocinema.org/read-blog/44797_uk-betting-firms-gamble-on-united-states-after-sports-wager-ruling.html) websites.'<br>
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<br>Social casinos [provide clients](https://bigtoc.com/read-blog/8965_sweepstakes-casino-controversy-and-celebrities-039-all-important-role.html) a chance to play casino-style games with friends. Players have the option to buy valueless currency frequently described as 'gold coins,' which can not be [exchanged](https://origintraffic.com/read-blog/1663_for-sports-gambling-to-be-legalised.html) for real money, but can be used to open various features within the games.<br>
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<br>But within the world of social gambling establishments exists sweepstakes gaming, enabling consumers to obtain other currency referred to as 'sweeps coins' that can be exchanged for cash or other prizes.<br>
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<br>And therein lies the potential for financial losses, like the ones claimed by plaintiffs in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey and New York City. One player informed the Washington Post he lost more than $100,000 on sweepstakes gambling establishments in the past year after continuing to buy more coins in pursuit of cash and other things of worth.<br>
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<br>The Philadelphia 76ers' Paul George is seen promoting an International Poker occasion<br>
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<br>Social sweeps gambling establishment Stake ran an ad displaying Drake's cars and trucks, planes and mansions<br>
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<br>Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York City Knicks is another NBA star plugging VGW's Global Poker<br>
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<br>Traditional online gambling establishments are banned in all but seven states, which has helped to sustain the popularity of sweepstakes gambling establishments.<br>
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<br>Anyone over the age of 18 can access the sweepstakes sites, which do not require generally need identification. However, sites like Chumba will request for IDs from gamers trying to withdraw any funds.<br>
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<br>Many websites, like the crypto-compatible Stake, enable clients to send mail-in ask for complimentary sweeps coins, provided the gamers follow painfully specific directions. What's more, players are often rewarded with sweeps coins just for signing up, therefore offering them a reason to try their hands at any number of gambling establishment games for a chance to win - or lose - real cash.<br>
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<br>So why are sweepstakes websites enabled to operate in 48 states, while online casinos are banned in all but 7?<br>
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<br>According to the stakeholders, their item is the complimentary casino-style video gaming, and the real-stakes competitors is simply a way of promoting their support.<br>
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<br>'Social sweepstakes video games are merely a type of online entertainment,' an SPGA spokesperson told DailyMail.com by e-mail. 'No purchase is required to dip into social casinos with sweepstakes prizes. Consumers never ever need to spend for an opportunity to win rewards. That absence of a purchase requirement - or" factor to consider" - is a crucial distinction between social sweeps and traditional online [sports betting](https://theavtar.in/read-blog/30034_for-sports-gambling-to-be-legalised.html) sites like casinos.'<br>
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<br>Consider the method that McDonald's uses its annual Monopoly video game to promote its food: Customers aren't paying to gamble, but rather they're purchasing hamburgers and french fries that use them the possibility to win lucrative prizes, such as a $1 million prize.<br>
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<br>And without a purchase requirement, or 'factor to consider', the game itself doesn't meet the meaning of [sports betting](https://collegetalks.site/read-blog/11872_best-u-s-sports-betting-sites-amp-sportsbooks-for-2024.html) in the US.<br>
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<br>'Sweepstakes are a long-standing method for promoting all sort of everyday organizations in the United States, everything from hamburgers to publication subscriptions to coffee and home improvement stores,' the SPGA representative told DailyMail.com. 'Sweepstakes promotions are regularly utilized by a who's who of home names like AT&T, Chase, Home Depot, Marriott, Starbucks, and Wal-Mart.'<br>
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<br>But to many gambling market insiders, that argument doesn't cut it.<br>
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<br>For beginners, gaming lawyer Daniel Wallach points out, McDonald's Monopoly video game doesn't run indefinitely. Rather, it has a distinct start and end, thus suggesting the sweepstakes is not the fast-food giant's primary item. Instead, the sweepstakes is being utilized to promote real products like fries, shakes, and the Filet-O-Fish.<br>
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<br>'They don't last forever and they're normally not connected to casino-style video games of opportunity,' Wallach informed DailyMail.com. 'They're just money giveaways.<br>
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<br>'The sweepstakes [casinos] have none of the characteristics frequently associated with McDonald's-style sweepstakes promotions,' Wallach continued. 'Besides running in perpetuity, the sweepstakes casinos provide" casino-like" payouts, normally 80 percent or more of revenues, whereas the typical payout portion for a short-term marketing sweepstakes is a minor share of the revenue made by the business [typically less than one percent]'<br>
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<br>Wallach is quick to liken the online social sweeps gambling establishments to the internet cafes that emerged in Florida, using customers the possibility to play casino-style games for real prizes. Many of those [brick-and-mortar establishments](https://lixoro.de/read-blog/4077_sweepstakes-casino-controversy-and-celebrities-039-all-important-role.html) have actually because been shuttered over claims of unlawful gaming.<br>
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<br>[DJ Khaled](https://projectblueberryserver.com/index.php/User:EnriquetaMais99) is among a number of celebrity spokespeople for VGW's Global Poker brand name<br>
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<br>Now, Wallach argues, social sweeps casinos should deal with comparable scrutiny.<br>[bet9ja.com](https://register.bet9ja.com/?btag=yohaig&promocode=yohaig)
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<br>'These distinctions are not arbitrary,' Wallach said of social sweeps casinos. 'They have consistently been cited by courts and state lawyer generals as essential consider determining that a sweepstakes promotion remained in truth a guise for illegal gaming.'<br>
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<br>Among the gambling establishment industry's leading trade organizations, the American Gaming Association, is now pressing lawmakers to examine sweepstakes operators and, in many cases, enact brand-new legislation on the problem.<br>
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<br>['Consumers](https://loveyou.az/read-blog/20091_sport-betting-industry-aims-to-protect-itself.html) are being denied of defenses and states are passing up substantial tax and income chances as this gaming replaces that conducted through controlled channels,' checked out a well-circulated AGA memo.<br>
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<br>And after that there are the plaintiffs who have taken against social casinos in more than a lots states.<br>
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<br>Sweepstakes casino operators paid a combined $14.2 million in 4 separate cases in Kentucky without admitting any misdeed, according to the Washington Post. Meanwhile VGW agreed to pay $11.75 million in one class-action lawsuit, saying the settlement was made to prevent legal costs and continued lawsuits.<br>
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<br>Michael Phelps has signed a handle the VGW Group, which owns Global Poker<br>
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<br>In the newest suit, which is mostly comparable to its predecessors, New york city state locals Lamar Prater and Rebecca Pratt both claim to have lost well over $1,000 to VGW, which is described in the filing as an 'illegal [sports betting](http://www.mizmiz.de/read-blog/83369_the-ins-and-outs-of-betting-on-the-nfl-draft.html) business. '<br>
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<br>Apple and Google have actually likewise been called as offenders in claims for hosting the sweepstakes websites. But unlike VGW, neither tech company reacted to DailyMail.com's demand for remark.<br>
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<br>'We generally don't comment on matters before the courts,' a VGW representative told DailyMail.com by means of e-mail. 'However, we keep in mind that this claim has only just been filed with the court and VGW has actually not been officially served.<br>
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<br>'We have full self-confidence in our compliance with all laws and guidelines where we run, and stay confident about the future,' the spokesperson continued. 'We continue to offer our free-to-play video games throughout the [majority](https://parentingliteracy.com/wiki/index.php/User:KeeshaRwc51) of North America, as we have for more than a years, developing not just excellent video games, user experiences and home entertainment, however likewise guaranteeing this is done safely, responsibly and at the greatest level of requirements.<br>
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<br>'More broadly, we 'd restate that class actions and other lawsuits and arbitrations are reasonably typical throughout the online social games industry (and the US more broadly), and our standard practice is that we plan to [intensely defend](https://app.theremoteinternship.com/read-blog/25801_uk-betting-firms-gamble-on-us-after-sports-wager-ruling.html) any claim which might be brought against us.'<br>
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<br>The problems in between standard online gaming and sweepstakes gambling establishments could prove problematic for some celeb endorsers.<br>
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<br>Towns, a star center with the Knicks, and the 76ers' George both back VGW's Global Poker brand name while the NBA is [partnered](https://loveyou.az/read-blog/20049_for-sports-gambling-to-be-legalised.html) with conventional video gaming titans like FanDuel and DraftKings.<br>
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<br>'It's ironic that expert athletes are hawking illegal [sports betting](http://www.pickmemo.com/read-blog/11287_the-ins-and-outs-of-betting-on-the-nfl-draft.html) wagering 'sweeps' sites while at the exact same time the leagues want to forecast a strong stance versus prohibited gaming - specifically when trying to tamp down the periodic [sports betting](https://sosmed.almarifah.id/read-blog/1283_the-history-of-the-nfl-and-how-to-bet-on-it.html) scandal,' Glaser told DailyMail.com.<br>
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<br>It was just eight months ago that Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter received a lifetime restriction from the NBA over allegations he conspired with [bettors](https://connectingsparks.com/read-blog/25052_things-you-need-to-know-about-rafting-adventures.html). However, to be clear, Porter's scandal is unrelated to anything including social or sweepstakes [gambling establishments](https://youfurry.com/read-blog/37836_online-betting-firms-gamble-on-soccer-mad-nigeria.html).<br>
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<br>In addition to VGW, Apple and Google are being sued for hosting presumably prohibited [sports betting](https://www.characterlist.com/read-blog/829_uk-betting-firms-gamble-on-us-after-sports-wager-ruling.html) sites<br>
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<br>Regardless, Glaser sees sweepstakes gambling establishments as a major concern for leagues such as the NBA.<br>
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<br>'I 'd anticipate that a league crackdown on professional athletes backing sweepstakes websites is a matter of when, not if,' Glaser included.<br>
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<br>Neither an NBA representative nor the gamers' agents responded to DailyMail.com's requests for comment. For that matter, spokespeople for Drake, DJ Khaled, Hilton, [Seacrest](https://chateando.net/read-blog/213_sweepstakes-casino-controversy-and-celebrities-039-all-important-role.html) and Phelps likewise ignored to react to DailyMail.com emails.<br>
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<br>Asked if their celeb endorsers have a duty to describe to customers the differences and similarities in between iGaming and sweepstakes casinos, VGW insisted there is absolutely nothing more that requires to be done.<br>
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<br>'We have full self-confidence in our influencer and ambassadorial partnerships, and our organization practices more broadly,' the representative said. 'Some of our values are" our gamers precede" and" we do what's right", and we put our worths at the core of whatever we do.'<br>
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<br>Glaser, an outspoken opponent of sweepstakes sites, sees things differently.<br>
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<br>'Celebrities who provide their names to dubious illegal gaming websites are, at a minimum, putting their credibilities at danger as well as courting civil and class actions by consumers who allege harm,' Glaser stated. 'There is also some threat that state regulators and state attorneys basic rope celeb endorsers into enforcement efforts for facilitating unlawful gambling.'<br>
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<br>New YorkNBADrakeParis Hilton<br>
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