A pizza shop worker from Buckhannon in West Virginia has been arrested and charged with fraud after allegedly using a customer's credit card details to make wagers at an online gambling platform, according to MyBuckhannon.com.
Key Takeaways
- The man allegedly used stolen credit card details to bet $300 on DraftKings
- The suspect, a local pizza shop employee, admitted to the fraud
- He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted
According to court documents, the arrested man is 27-year-old Dylan Streets, who worked at Sam’s Pizza. He allegedly took the card information from a customer. The customer later found two unauthorized charges for $100 and $200 to DraftKings on June 25, but neither she nor her husband had wagered that money.
The charges led to a fraud investigation by Visa, which traced the transactions back to an account belonging to Streets. When questioned by the police, Streets reportedly confessed to using the details to make a wager on DraftKings Sportsbook, telling investigators he felt remorse and that he later deleted the card information. He was charged and taken into custody. Bail has been set at $15,000; if found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in prison.
Illinois moves to ban credit cards for sports betting
The use of credit cards for gambling has also been on the agenda in Illinois, where the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) has proposed new rules that would ban using these cards to fund sports wagering accounts. The proposal was introduced at an IGB meeting in April, reportedly to protect problem gamblers, and based on research that found the risk of gambling harm increased with easy credit access.
“There is a growing body of recent research showing that restrictions on credit usage to fund wagering accounts encourages responsible gambling and mitigates the harms of compulsive gambling,” said IGB Administrator Marcus D Fruchter.
Illinois joins a list of states, which includes Massachusetts and Tennessee, that are tightening restrictions around gambling-related credit card use.
Playtech expands U.S. footprint with West Virginia launch
Meanwhile, West Virginia will see a new gaming company operate there. Global software company Playtech has announced an expansion of its operations into West Virginia’s online casino sector, adding a fourth state to its portfolio, along with Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Michigan.
Playtech has been open about its plans to strengthen its presence in the U.S.-regulated market, mainly through collaborations with major gambling companies such as DraftKings, BetMGM, and BetRivers. This strategy has already led to a 10% revenue increase in 2024.
The company may also be interested in the fact that lawmakers in states like Massachusetts, Ohio, and New York are considering iGaming legislation, which could potentially mean major growth potential. As it stands, West Virginia online casinos provide a new market for the company.
