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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 appearances before the Louisiana Senate for Friday's hearing on prohibited gaming.<br>[bet9ja.com](https://register.bet9ja.com/?btag=yohaig&promocode=yohaig)
 <br>No, they weren't personally in participation, but the world-famous stars were conspicuously consisted of in a slide presentation on social and sweepstakes gambling establishments - the controversial websites offering both free casino-style video games and lucrative prizes, such as money, gift cards or cryptocurrency. In one ad, the fist-pumping Seacrest is seen [plugging Chumba](https://mgnm.uk/read-blog/3106_just-how-much-are-americans-investing-in-sports-betting.html) Casino, where anyone can 'play for free,' while a crop-topped Hilton holds a chip for sweepstakes operator, Wow Vegas, in the other.<br>[bit.ly](https://bit.ly/Bet9jaPromotionCodeYOHAIG)
 <br>The websites are just two cogs in the multibillion-dollar market that now discovers itself besieged by lawsuits. In the eyes of lots of gaming corporations, not to discuss claim complainants and state regulators, sweepstakes gambling establishments serve as conventional casinos, just without the oversight, consumer protections and tax laws. So not just can they prevent the high 24-percent federal [gambling](https://blablasell.com/read-blog/12005_the-ins-and-outs-of-betting-on-the-nfl-draft.html) levy, but sweepstakes operators aren't based on regulatory difficulties like anti-money laundering and responsible-gaming securities.<br>
 <br>One operator, Australia-based Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW), reported $4 billion in income in 2015 alone. Now the business faces accusations of prohibited gambling in a New York lawsuit that claims VGW uses celebrity endorsers to 'develop a veneer of authenticity' around its product. (See VGW's declaration listed below)<br>
 <br>'I'm not exactly sure" if you don't trust us, you can rely on Paris Hilton" is a winning message for companies operating multibillion-dollar illegal operations out of places like Malta, Isle of Man, or US mail drops,' Friday's presenter, Howard Glaser of video gaming [corporation Light](https://catvcommunity.com.tr/read-blog/4411_sweepstakes-casino-controversy-and-celebrities-039-all-important-role.html) & Wonder, informed DailyMail.com.<br>
 <br>Sweepstakes endorsers consist of a series of celebs from gambling enthusiasts Drake and DJ Khaled to swimmer Michael Phelps, in addition to NBA stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Paul George - none of whom provide any distinctions in between traditional gaming and sweepstakes play.<br>
 <br>Paris Hilton is seen plugging Wow Vegas, among lots of sweepstakes casinos found online<br>
 <br>Ryan Seacrest prompts fans to dip into Chumba Casino, where numerous - however not all [- video](https://tartar.app/read-blog/1661_how-to-play-bet9ja-online.html) games are free<br>
 <br>Drake has a [handle social](https://usvs.ms/read-blog/865_how-fantasy-betting-app-development-companies-and-sports-developers.html) sweeps casino, Stake, that he routinely touts on social networks<br>
 <br>Find out more<br>
 <br>Donald Trump 'set to name NBA group owner as US [ambassador](https://ozoms.com/read-blog/10550_the-ins-and-outs-of-betting-on-the-nfl-draft.html) to Italy'<br>
 <br>Instead, [ads typically](https://ai.tienda/read-blog/7274_just-how-much-are-americans-investing-in-sports-betting.html) center around the social aspect of the gambling establishments, while omitting the potential for real gaming losses.<br>
 <br>Others lure consumers with promises of rewards. One such operator, Stake, ran a social media advertisement flaunting Drake's automobiles, aircrafts and mansions before rotating to video of the [rapper playing](https://bdstarter.com/how-are-betting-odds-calculated/) online casino-style games.<br>
 <br>'Daddy, why do we have a lot money?' read the very first caption on the screen.<br>
 <br>Another caption explained: 'Because I never quit.'<br>
 <br>The discrepancy in between gaming websites and social or sweepstakes gambling establishments is a bit intricate, but operators of the latter insist they're not involved with the previous.<br>
 <br>A spokesperson for an industry trade group, the Social and Promotional Gaming Association (SPGA), described its members are not in direct competitors with online casinos and [sportsbooks](https://wolvesbaneuo.com/wiki/index.php/User:BlytheBir0323). Furthermore, according to SPGA information, many of the gamers on social-sweepstakes gambling establishments are playing for totally free.<br>
 <br>'Most social sweeps clients never make a purchase,' the SPGA spokesperson informed DailyMail.com. 'The minority of clients who make purchases do so in amounts far smaller than the common deposit or bet size at real-money online gaming websites.'<br>
 <br>Social casinos offer clients a possibility to play casino-style video games with good friends. Players have the option to purchase valueless currency often [referred](https://catvcommunity.com.tr/read-blog/4411_sweepstakes-casino-controversy-and-celebrities-039-all-important-role.html) to as 'gold coins,' which can not be exchanged genuine money, however can be used to unlock numerous features within the games.<br>
 <br>But within the world of social casinos exists sweepstakes video gaming, allowing consumers to acquire other currency understood as 'sweeps coins' that can be exchanged for money or other prizes.<br>[bet9ja.com](https://register.bet9ja.com/?btag=yohaig&promocode=yohaig)
 <br>And therein lies the potential for financial losses, like the ones declared by plaintiffs in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey and New York. One player told the [Washington Post](https://we2chat.net/read-blog/26291_online-betting-firms-gamble-on-soccer-mad-nigeria.html) he lost more than $100,000 on sweepstakes casinos in the previous year after continuing to buy more coins in pursuit of cash and other things of value.<br>
 <br>The Philadelphia 76ers' Paul George is seen promoting a Global Poker event<br>
 <br>Social sweeps casino Stake ran an advertisement displaying Drake's cars and trucks, aircrafts and estates<br>
 <br>Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks is another NBA star plugging VGW's Global Poker<br>
 <br>Traditional online gambling establishments are prohibited in all however 7 states, which has helped to fuel the popularity of sweepstakes casinos.<br>
 <br>Anyone over the age of 18 can access the sweepstakes sites, which don't require usually require identification. However, websites like Chumba will request for IDs from players trying to withdraw any funds.<br>
 <br>Many sites, like the crypto-compatible Stake, enable customers to send mail-in requests for complimentary sweeps coins, supplied the players follow painfully specific guidelines. What's more, gamers are frequently rewarded with sweeps coins just for registering, thereby providing a factor to attempt their hands at any number of  video games for a chance to win - or lose - genuine cash.<br>
 <br>So why are sweepstakes websites enabled to operate in 48 states, while online gambling establishments are banned in all but 7?<br>
 <br>According to the stakeholders, their product is the free casino-style video gaming, and the real-stakes competitors is just a way of promoting their bread and butter.<br>
 <br>'Social sweepstakes games are merely a type of online entertainment,' an SPGA representative informed DailyMail.com by email. 'No purchase is required to play at social gambling establishments with sweepstakes prizes. Consumers never have to pay for a chance to win rewards. That lack of a purchase requirement - or" factor to consider" - is a vital difference in between social sweeps and conventional online [sports betting](http://yijichain.com/read-blog/15072_how-much-are-americans-spending-on-sports-betting.html) sites like gambling establishments.'<br>[bet9ja.com](https://register.bet9ja.com/?btag=yohaig&promocode=yohaig)
 <br>Consider the manner in which McDonald's utilizes its annual Monopoly game to promote its food: Customers aren't paying to bet, but rather they're purchasing hamburgers and french fries that provide them the opportunity to win profitable prizes, such as a $1 million jackpot.<br>
 <br>And without a purchase requirement, or 'consideration', the game itself doesn't fulfill the meaning of gambling in the US.<br>
 <br>'Sweepstakes are an enduring method for [promoting](https://we2chat.net/read-blog/26291_online-betting-firms-gamble-on-soccer-mad-nigeria.html) all type of daily services in the United States, everything from burgers to magazine memberships to coffee and home improvement stores,' the SPGA spokesperson informed DailyMail.com. 'Sweepstakes promos are regularly used by a who's who of household names like AT&T, Chase, Home Depot, Marriott, Starbucks, and Wal-Mart.'<br>[bet9ja.com](https://register.bet9ja.com/?btag=yohaig&promocode=yohaig)
 <br>But to many [sports betting](https://alkhuld.org/score-big-wins-how-sports-betting-software-drives-growth-and-engagement/) market experts, that argument does not cut it.<br>
 <br>For beginners, video gaming attorney Daniel Wallach mentions, McDonald's Monopoly game doesn't run forever. Rather, it has a distinct start and end, thereby suggesting the sweepstakes is not the fast-food giant's primary item. Instead, the sweepstakes is being utilized to promote real items like french fries, shakes, and the Filet-O-Fish.<br>
 <br>'They don't last permanently and they're usually not connected to [casino-style games](https://mxlinkin.mimeld.com/read-blog/699_sport-betting-industry-wants-to-protect-itself.html) of possibility,' Wallach informed DailyMail.com. 'They're simply cash giveaways.<br>
 <br>'The sweepstakes [gambling establishments] have none of the qualities commonly related to McDonald's-style sweepstakes promotions,' Wallach continued. 'Besides running in perpetuity, the sweepstakes casinos provide" casino-like" payouts, usually 80 percent or more of incomes, whereas the normal payout percentage for a short-term advertising sweepstakes is an insignificant share of the earnings earned by the business [normally less than one percent]'<br>
 <br>Wallach is quick to compare the [online social](https://peoplesmedia.co/read-blog/12914_uk-betting-firms-gamble-on-united-states-after-sports-wager-ruling.html) sweeps gambling establishments to the internet coffee shops that emerged in Florida, offering customers the chance to play casino-style video games for real prizes. Many of those brick-and-mortar facilities have actually because been shuttered over claims of illegal gambling.<br>
 <br>DJ Khaled is amongst several celeb spokespeople for VGW's Global Poker brand<br>
 <br>Now, Wallach argues, social sweeps casinos ought to deal with similar examination.<br>
 <br>'These differences are not arbitrary,' [Wallach stated](https://olps.co.za/wiki/User:MerissaEmanuel) of social sweeps casinos. 'They have actually consistently been mentioned by courts and state lawyer generals as crucial consider identifying that a [sweepstakes promo](https://app.galaxiesunion.com/read-blog/13263_sport-betting-industry-wants-to-protect-itself.html) was in truth a guise for unlawful gaming.'<br>
 <br>One of the gambling establishment industry's leading trade companies, the American Gaming Association, is now pushing legislators to examine sweepstakes operators and, in some cases, enact brand-new legislation on the issue.<br>
 <br>'Consumers are being deprived of defenses and states are forgoing considerable tax and revenue chances as this gambling replaces that carried out through regulated channels,' read a well-circulated AGA memo.<br>
 <br>And then there are the complainants who have taken legal action against social gambling establishments in more than a lots states.<br>
 <br>Sweepstakes casino operators paid a combined $14.2 million in 4 separate cases in Kentucky without admitting any wrongdoing, according to the Washington Post. Meanwhile VGW concurred to pay $11.75 million in one class-action suit, stating the settlement was made to prevent legal expenses and continued lawsuits.<br>
 <br>Michael Phelps has signed an offer with the VGW Group, which owns Global Poker<br>
 <br>In the most recent lawsuit, which is mostly similar to its predecessors, New york city state residents [Lamar Prater](https://sportstalkhub.com/read-blog/20355_things-you-need-to-understand-about-rafting-adventures.html) and Rebecca Pratt both claim to have lost well over $1,000 to VGW, which is explained in the filing as an 'illegal [sports betting](https://youslade.com/read-blog/41354_things-you-need-to-learn-about-rafting-adventures.html) business. '<br>
 <br>Apple and Google have actually also been named as defendants in suits for hosting the sweepstakes websites. But unlike VGW, neither tech company reacted to DailyMail.com's ask for comment.<br>
 <br>'We normally do not discuss matters before the courts,' a VGW spokesperson told DailyMail.com via e-mail. 'However, we note that this claim has actually only just been filed with the court and VGW has actually not been formally served.<br>
 <br>'We have complete self-confidence in our compliance with all laws and policies where we operate, and remain confident about the future,' the [spokesperson continued](https://tartar.app/read-blog/1712_how-much-are-americans-spending-on-sports-betting.html). 'We continue to provide our free-to-play games across the majority of The United States and Canada, as we have for more than a decade, producing not just great video games, user experiences and entertainment, however also guaranteeing this is done safely, properly and at the greatest level of standards.<br>
 <br>'More broadly, we 'd reiterate that class actions and other litigations and arbitrations are reasonably common throughout the online social video games market (and the US more broadly), and our basic practice is that we mean to vigorously protect any claim which may be brought versus us.'<br>
 <br>The problems in between conventional online gaming and sweepstakes gambling establishments might show bothersome for some celeb endorsers.<br>
 <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 with traditional gaming titans like FanDuel and DraftKings.<br>
 <br>'It's paradoxical that expert athletes are hawking unlawful [sports betting](https://doum.cn/read-blog/1927_how-to-play-bet9ja-online.html) wagering 'sweeps' websites while at the same time the leagues wish to forecast a strong stance versus unlawful [sports betting](https://globalabout.com/read-blog/16957_the-history-of-the-nfl-and-how-to-bank-on-it.html) - particularly when attempting to tamp down the periodic [sports betting](https://sundaycareers.com/read-blog/2640_why-every-cricket-fan-should-try-the-all-cricket-id-gaming-platform.html) scandal,' Glaser informed DailyMail.com.<br>
 <br>It was just eight months ago that Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter received a life time ban from the NBA over accusations he conspired with gamblers. However, to be clear, Porter's scandal is unassociated to anything including social or sweepstakes casinos.<br>
 <br>In addition to VGW, Apple and Google are being sued for hosting supposedly illegal gambling sites<br>
 <br>Regardless, Glaser sees sweepstakes gambling establishments as a significant problem for leagues such as the NBA.<br>
 <br>'I 'd anticipate that a league crackdown on athletes endorsing sweepstakes websites refers when, not if,' Glaser added.<br>
 <br>Neither an NBA spokesman nor the gamers' representatives reacted to DailyMail.com's requests for remark. For that matter, spokespeople for Drake, DJ Khaled, Hilton, Seacrest and Phelps also ignored to react to DailyMail.com e-mails.<br>
 <br>Asked if their star endorsers have a responsibility to explain to clients the differences and resemblances in between iGaming and sweepstakes casinos, VGW firmly insisted there is nothing more that needs to be done.<br>
 <br>'We have full self-confidence in our influencer and ambassadorial collaborations, and our service practices more broadly,' the representative stated. 'Some of our worths are" our gamers precede" and" we do what's right", and we put our worths at the core of everything we do.'<br>
 <br>Glaser, an outspoken opponent of sweepstakes websites, sees things in a different way.<br>
 <br>'Celebrities who lend their names to dubious prohibited [sports betting](https://miderde.de/index.php?title=Benutzer:AZGEmerson) sites are, at a minimum, putting their track records at risk in addition to courting civil and class actions by customers who declare harm,' Glaser stated. 'There is likewise some threat that state regulators and state attorney generals of the United States rope celeb endorsers into enforcement efforts for facilitating unlawful [sports betting](https://www.tobeop.com/warner-bros-discovery-sets-stage-for-potential-cable-deal-by/).'<br>
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