Three plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Apple and Google under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. They claim the tech giants allowed illegal online gambling through sweepstakes casino apps.
Julian Bargo, Lamar Prater, and Rebecca Pratt have filed a lawsuit against Apple and Google. They claim the tech giants facilitate illegal online gambling through sweepstakes casino apps. The plaintiffs argue that both companies played a key role in enabling and profiting from these activities. The lawsuit under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act has been filed by the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs claim that Apple and Google support sweepstakes casino developers with marketing tools, data analytics, and user behavior tracking. These resources help increase user engagement and spending. They also allege that the tech giants help these apps attract high-spending users by offering promotional support and marketplace visibility.
Bargo, Prater, and Pratt also allege that Apple and Google collect spending and behavioral data from users of these apps. This, in turn, allows sweepstakes casino operators to identify and target high-value users who generate disproportionate revenue. The plaintiffs say that this data-driven targeting helps what they describe as predatory monetization strategies that exploit vulnerable consumers. The plaintiffs also allege that Apple and Google fully understand the alleged illegal operations of the sweepstakes casinos. Nevertheless, they have continued to profit from them.
The plaintiffs accuse the companies of acting as financial intermediaries for transactions between players and the sweepstakes casinos. The lawsuit claims that this financial involvement is active and intentional. It argues that Apple and Google are participating in an ongoing operation tied to alleged illegal gambling activities.
According to the plaintiffs, this arrangement acts as a Sweepstakes Casino Enterprise. They also claim this operates in violation of both state gambling laws and federal anti-racketeering statues. The sweepstakes casinos depend on Apple and Google for distribution, advertising, and payment processing. On the other hand, according to the plaintiffs, the tech companies profit from the substantial revenue generated by these apps.
