{"id":7377,"date":"2024-06-20T05:22:15","date_gmt":"2024-06-20T05:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/slategray-wallaby-310340.hostingersite.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/20\/high-5-games-social-casino-apps-ruled-illegal-by-washington-judge-liable-for-damages\/"},"modified":"2024-06-20T05:22:15","modified_gmt":"2024-06-20T05:22:15","slug":"high-5-games-social-casino-apps-ruled-illegal-by-washington-judge-liable-for-damages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/20\/high-5-games-social-casino-apps-ruled-illegal-by-washington-judge-liable-for-damages\/","title":{"rendered":"High 5 Games\u2019 Social Casino Apps Ruled Illegal by Washington Judge, Liable for Damages"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>A federal judge in Washington state has declared that two social casino apps operated by New York-based High 5 Games are illegal. Western Washington District Court Judge Tiffany Cartwright\u2019s ruling makes the company liable for damages under the state\u2019s Recovery of Money Lost at Gambling Act (RMLGA).<\/p>\n<p>Judge Cartwright agreed with the plaintiff, former player Rick Larsen, that the games violated Washington\u2019s Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and the RMLGA. Larsen initiated the class-action lawsuit against High 5 Games in 2018.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Case Background<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>High 5 Casino and High 5 Vegas players receive virtual coins for free upon registration on platforms like Facebook, Google Play, and the App Store. Once they deplete their virtual currency, they must purchase additional coins with real money to continue playing. Court documents revealed that Larsen spent $7,470.50 on the apps.<\/p>\n<p>Larsen argued that the apps promoted illegal gambling by requiring players to purchase additional <a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/poker\/games-to-play-with-poker-chips\/\">chips<\/a> with real money. High 5 countered that players could use the free coins they receive upon registration and periodically thereafter, without needing to spend real money. However, Cartwright referred to prior district court rulings, stating that users cannot play regularly unless they pay.<\/p>\n<p>Washington\u2019s law uniquely recognizes virtual currency as a \u201cthing of value,\u201d even if it cannot be redeemed for cash. Although games like High 5 are free to play, users can pay for extra chips. The lawsuit claimed consumers bet to acquire more chips than they would otherwise need to buy.<\/p>\n<div class=\"main-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-items box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"box-100 space-org-3-item relative border-tb mt-1 \">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-logo-title-box box-100 text-left relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-box box-25 relative img-radius\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/mirax-casino\/\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<amp-img alt=\"Mirax Casino\" src=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Mirax-Casino.png.webp\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" layout=\"fixed\"><br \/>\n\t\t<\/amp-img><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-title box-25 relative py-10\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/mirax-casino\/\" title=\"Mirax Casino\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Mirax Casino<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t<strong>350% or 5BTC + <strong>150 Spins!<\/strong><\/strong><br \/>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"pt-1\">New players only. Exclusive Welcome Bonus of 350% + 150 Free Spins\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating box-25 relative mb-10\">\n<div class=\"rating-box text-center box-100  relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating-box relative\">\n<div class=\"stars\"><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-rating-notice relative\">Casino<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/mirax-casino\/\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\tVisit Site<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The RMLGA states, <em>\u201cPersons losing money or anything of value on any illegal gambling games shall have a cause of action to recover from the proprietor for whose benefit such game was played the value of the thing so lost.<\/em>\u201d As a class-action lawsuit, anyone who purchased virtual currency for one of the apps in Washington after April 9, 2014, could qualify for a damages payout.<\/p>\n<p>Subpoenas served by Larsen\u2019s lawyers on Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook showed that Washington residents spent over $21.6 million on the apps between 2014 and 2023. However, the judge did not accept this as a definitive figure, stating that damages should be determined by a jury after further discovery.<\/p>\n<p>Washington\u2019s strict gambling laws classify online gambling as <em>\u201canything that requires users to stake value on the outcome of a game of chance or an event with a prize on offer for a certain outcome.\u201d<\/em> This has led many gaming operators, even social ones, to avoid the state.<\/p>\n<p>High 5 Games argued that it operates with virtual coins and does not constitute gambling, claiming to be a \u201csocial casino\u201d that emulates video slot machines in physical casinos. Nevertheless, Cartwright stated that the games are prohibited under the Washington CPA and RMLGA. <em>\u201cThe undisputed material facts as to liability show that High 5\u2019s games violate Washington\u2019s gambling laws and the Consumer Protection Act,\u201d<\/em> she wrote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"main-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-items box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"box-100 space-org-3-item relative border-tb mt-1 \">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-logo-title-box box-100 text-left relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-box box-25 relative img-radius\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/betanysports\/\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<amp-img alt=\"Bet AnySports .EU\" src=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/betanysports_logo.png.webp\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" layout=\"fixed\"><br \/>\n\t\t<\/amp-img><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-title box-25 relative py-10\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/betanysports\/\" title=\"Bet AnySports .EU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Bet AnySports .EU<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t<strong><strong>$600 &#038; 40 Free Spins on 1st Deposit!<\/strong><\/strong><br \/>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"pt-1\">New players only. Exclusive Welcome Bonus of up to $600<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating box-25 relative mb-10\">\n<div class=\"rating-box text-center box-100  relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating-box relative\">\n<div class=\"stars\"><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-rating-notice relative\">Casino &#038; Sports<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/betanysports\/\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\tVisit Site<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>High 5 Games claims it has tried to cease operations in Washington by geoblocking players and verifying their addresses.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/casino-news\/high-5-games-social-casino-apps-ruled-illegal-by-washington-judge\/\">High 5 Games\u2019 Social Casino Apps Ruled Illegal by Washington Judge, Liable for Damages<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/\">iGaming.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A federal judge in Washington state has declared that two social casino apps operated by New York-based High 5 Games are illegal. Western Washington District Court Judge Tiffany Cartwright\u2019s ruling makes the company liable for damages under the state\u2019s Recovery of Money Lost at Gambling Act (RMLGA). Judge Cartwright agreed with the plaintiff, former player [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":6}},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7377","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7377"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7377\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7377"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7377"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7377"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}