A gambler in New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against BetMGM for allegedly changing the terms of a promotion after it was already underway. Plaintiff Larry Murk had wagered about $1.5m to try to win a slot competition. The winner needed to bet more than any other participant on eligible slot games across May 2021, with a top prize of $500,000 in bonus funds and 100 free spins daily for a month.
Murk is seeking $2.5m in damages through the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act as he claims that BetMGM allowed a VIP player to join the contest with previously wagered funds despite playing games that were initially on the ineligibility list.
the high roller didn’t opt into the promotion from the beginning
Murk reached out to his VIP host at the online casino operator to ask why this person had suddenly appeared on top of the leaderboard. Ryan Weiner explained that the high roller didn’t opt into the promotion from the beginning and also didn’t realize they weren’t playing eligible games.
The plaintiff didn’t get a satisfactory decision from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement after seeking a resolution. His legal team claims that a BetMGM employee “falsely advised the DGE that the gift would not have impacted the winner of a first-place prize.” BetMGM claims that it’s entitled to alter the rules of a promotion whenever it wants as per its terms and conditions.
