Well-known television personality Ryan Seacrest is facing legal action for acting as a celebrity endorser of a sweepstakes casino. The Wheel of Fortune and American Idol host started working with Chumba Casino in December 2023 and often appears in ads for the operator.
The complaint alleges that the 50-year-old was promoting illegal gambling in California through social media and other formats. Sweepstakes casinos are the current focus of a nationwide crackdown, as many regulators believe they’re offering unlicensed gambling veiled as free-to-play casino game action.
lawsuit aims to shut down the sweepstakes casino’s operations in California
The lawsuit aims to shut down the sweepstakes casino’s operations in California and to no longer allow Seacrest to promote the brand. The plaintiff claims that one of her underage family members could access the platform, something which could lead to addiction issues down the line among young people.
In a statement regarding the legal action, Chumba Casino said that it follows all relevant laws and said that the lawsuit has no merit. The spokesperson also said that Seacrest is an unfair target and that he has no role in the actual operations of the sweepstakes casino.
