The Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI), a nonprofit advocacy organization that continues to lead the movement to develop a comprehensive public health response to the threat posed by the gambling industry, announced a new lawsuit filed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, seeking to expose and stop an alleged dangerous, misleading, and illegal “deposit match” promotion by Caesars Online Casino and its brick-and-mortar partner Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino.

In this promotion, Caesars and its partners are luring new customers with a false and misleading promise of a “$2500 deposit match,” according to the lawsuit. Only in the small-print terms and conditions is it disclosed that a new customer playing Blackjack is required to gamble and risk $375,000 in just the first seven days after opening an account. In other words, no money or winnings can be withdrawn unless a total of $375,000 is gambled and risked. All money lost during the first 7-day period is kept by Caesars and Harrah’s Casino.

The lawsuit alleged that Caesars and its partners have effectively rewritten the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by mandating that new customers gamble up to $375,000 before being paid any of their winnings. The public is not told that the promotion is designed to snare new customers in a “wild chase of action,” where the bonus is unattainable and therefore impossible to win.

Under the leadership of Executive Director Mark Gottlieb, PHAI continues to spearhead the burgeoning movement to bring comprehensive public health change to the threat posed by the gambling industry and its partners across the US.

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Gottlieb said: “We know the gambling industry, with the assistance of the American Gaming Association (AGA) and the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS), is aggressively attempting to push the legalization of online casino gambling across the United States. Thus far, the seven states with online casino gambling seem ill-prepared or unwilling to regulate the wild tactics of the industry. This promotion, engineered by Caesars, is among the most egregious we have seen to date.”

Dr. Harry Levant, Director of Gambling Policy at PHAI, warned that Caesars and others in the gambling industry are acting with impunity, disregarding existing laws, and placing the public directly at risk.

According to Dr. Levant: “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 Caesar’s customers, immoral, and just plain wrong.”

PHAI Director of Litigation Andrew Rainer, Esq., said: “PHAI continues to utilize the courts to protect clients and the public from unreasonable risks of harm caused by the negligent, careless, and reckless conduct of the gambling industry.”

PHAI Founder and President. Dr. Richard Daynard said: “The mission of the Public Health Advocacy Institute is to protect public health and advance social justice. The days of the gambling industry disregarding public health and safety are coming to an end. When Caesars doesn’t play fair, it puts players’ health at risk.”

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The case is Brubaker vs Chester Downs and Marina LLC et al. (Ct of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County, First Judicial District, Case ID 250602325).

In December 2023, PHAI and its Center for Public Health Litigation filed a class action suit against DraftKings in Massachusetts that garnered nationwide headlines. In August 2024, a judge in Massachusetts denied DraftKings’ motion to dismiss, allowing the litigation to move forward.

In October 2024, PHAI filed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, asking the court to compel the MGC to adhere to state law and turn over data that casinos compile to track player behavior. Under Section 97 of the Expanded Gaming Act, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is required to collect behavioral data from casino operators and share anonymized customer data with researchers. This data is essential for analyzing what casino practices are causing harm and who is being harmed. The Gaming Commission has been subject to the legal requirement to collect this data since its formation in 2011. Now, more than a decade later, the Commission has yet to collect a single piece of data from any licensee or make any data available to researchers.

The UNLV International Gaming Institute (IGI) has launched its AI Research Hub (AiR Hub), a significant step toward advancing research and understanding on the impacts, risks, and opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI) within the gambling industry.

Co-founded by Kasra Ghaharian, IGI Director of Research, and Simo Dragicevic, an industry and research veteran who now serves as an Adjunct Fellow at the Hub, the initiative will develop an ecosystem for collaborative AI research and accelerate the adoption of trusted and responsible AI.

Key initiatives underway focus on critical areas, including the forthcoming State of AI in Gaming report. This annual deep dive will be a first of its kind for the sector, surveying current and future use cases and indexing companies on their AI maturity. Other initiatives include thought leadership and practical tools for operators and regulators to promote responsible AI oversight and governance, and developing benchmarking solutions for critical AI systems within the sector.

“UNLV’s International Gaming Institute has a long history of pioneering research in the gaming sector, and we are excited to launch AiR Hub as the next step in that journey. Our vision is to create tangible progress through collaborative, actionable research with engagement across a range of stakeholders, including regulators, academics, non-profit organizations, and industry,” Ghaharian said.

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AiR Hub is supported by a prestigious group of founding industry members. Representatives from Action Gaming, Axes.ai, Evoke Plc, Gaming Analytics, Kindbridge Behavioral Health, Playtech Plc, ROGA (Responsible Online Gaming Association), and Walker Digital Table Systems will serve on AiR Hub’s industry advisory panel.

“We are grateful for not only the financial support offered by our founding members, but also the expert knowledge they bring in regard to technology, data, and wider gambling business and player support practices. We operate in a highly complex and integrated industry that is evolving quickly, and this knowledge and experience will be essential to fully understanding the risks and capitalizing on the potential of AI within the industry,” Dragicevic said.

The founding member round will remain open to organizations for an additional six months.

SCCG Management, a leading global advisory and consulting firm in the gambling industry, has entered into a strategic partnership with Slot Machines Unlimited, a premier provider of refurbished slot machines and gaming equipment.

Founded in 1999, Slot Machines Unlimited has over 25 years of experience in providing high-quality, refurbished slot machines, casino equipment, and accessories to gaming establishments across the US and internationally. This partnership will support Slot Machines Unlimited’s growing international presence in Central and South America, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean, offering an enhanced level of service, expertise, and product distribution.

Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management, said: “We are excited to partner with Slot Machines Unlimited, a company with a stellar track record for delivering value and reliability to gaming operators. Their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction aligns perfectly with SCCG’s mission to drive growth and innovation across the global gaming ecosystem. Together, we will expand their international reach and provide world-class solutions to gaming operators looking for premium gaming products.”

The partnership between SCCG Management and Slot Machines Unlimited leverages both companies’ strengths: Slot Machines Unlimited’s expertise in refurbished gaming equipment and SCCG’s deep industry insight, global network, and strategic growth capabilities. The collaboration will enhance Slot Machines Unlimited’s international sales and service operations, ensuring gaming establishments worldwide have access to high-quality slot machines and support.

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Chris Day, President and Co-owner of Slot Machines Unlimited, said: “Partnering with gaming legend Stephen Crystal will open exciting new doors for our company. We do business a little bit differently than some in the used gaming industry, which is why I believe we are the best fit for SCCG. Our growth has been unmatched in the used gaming side for machine refurbishment and resale.”