The Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI), a non-profit organization, has revealed that it has filed a lawsuit against gambling operator Caesars Online Casino and its Pennsylvania partner, Harrah’s Philadelphia.
The suit challenges what the PHAI describes as a dangerous and misleading promotional campaign offering a $2,500 deposit match that they say traps customers into excessive gambling at its online casino.
Key Takeaways
- PHAI has filed a lawsuit against Caesars’ $2,500 deposit match bonus
- The lawsuit highlighted that blackjack customers must bet $375,000 to meet the wagering requirements
- The PHAI previously filed a lawsuit against DraftKings in Massachusetts, which a judge refused to let DraftKings dismiss
Caesars offers new Pennsylvania online casino players a 100% deposit match bonus up to $2,500. The PHAI argues that the wagering requirements attached to the bonus are unclear, as a customer only playing blackjack games would need to wager $375,000 to withdraw any profits. Customers must clear these wagering requirements within seven days.
The PHAI argues this encourages harmful gambling behaviors, and the prospect of making a withdrawal is very slight.
"It is unconscionable for a gambling company to knowingly require people to gamble excessively and put their mental health at risk as a condition to cash out their winnings. More importantly, nothing in Pennsylvania's gambling rules or laws permits a casino to refuse payment unless and until customers begin gambling to excess. This is dangerous to Caesars' customers, immoral, and just plain wrong,” commented Dr. Harry Levant, Director of Gambling Policy at PHAI.
Covers has reached out to Caesars for comment and has yet to receive a response.
PHAI calls Caesars deposit match bonus “predatory”
The suit, officially filed as Brubaker vs. Chester Downs and Marina, LLC et al., adds to PHAI’s recent legal actions against major gambling organizations. PHAI has also filed lawsuits against DraftKings and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission in the past two years.
In a statement, the PHAI said that the gambling industry must be held accountable for promotions and practices that can put mental health and financial well-being at risk.
“This promotion, engineered by Caesars, is among the most egregious we have seen to date. The gambling industry is pushing for nationwide legalization while states remain largely unprepared to regulate these predatory tactics,” said the Executive Director at the PHAI, Mark Gottlieb.
Caesars launches exclusive Greentube partnership in Pennsylvania
While it faces legal challenges in Philadelphia over its bonus promotions, Caesars has received some good news from Pennsylvania.
The digital gaming division of gambling technology company NOVOMATIC, Greentube, has entered a partnership with Caesars Entertainment to offer its games exclusively at Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino, and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino. Light & Wonder will make the games available through its aggregation platform.
As part of the launch, Pennsylvania players will be the first to access two Greentube titles: Golden Roar Boom and Silver Lux Big Win Spinner, a part of the Silver Lux series. A custom Caesars-branded version of Silver Lux is also being developed.
“Partnering with Greentube reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment through our online platforms,” said the Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, in a statement announcing the partnership.
