Class Action Claims Bovada, Jumba Bet Online Casino Games Constitute Illegal Gambling in Kentucky
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Two proposed class action lawsuits claim popular online casino websites Bovada.lv, Bovada.com and JumbaBet.com constitute illegal gambling under Kentucky law.
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The lawsuits allege the offshore operators of Bovada and Jumba Bet have illegally profited from “tens of thousands of consumers” who gambled real money to play games offered on the sites, including slots, poker and table games.
One case contends that the companies and individuals behind Bovada—which includes defendants Morris Mohawk Gaming Group and its CEO Alwyn Morris as well as Harp Media BV and Calvin Ayre—have falsely advertised the casino website as a “trusted source for gaming and betting.”
“In fact, Bovada is an illegal enterprise,” the filing says. “Bovada’s online presence and advertising provided an aura of legitimacy and legality to [the plaintiff] and class members.”
The suit relays that in a June 2022 letter sent by more than two dozen members of Congress urging the U.S. Department of Justice to make a “concerted effort” to combat illegal offshore sportsbooks, Bovada was specifically listed as an unlawful operation that constitutes “half of all sportsbook brand searches.”
What’s more, the American Gaming Association has called for the operators of Bovada to be investigated and charged with “operating a criminal enterprise,” the complaint says.
The case against Jumba Bet similarly claims the casino site is an illegal operation under Kentucky law despite defendant Genesys Technology N.V.’s assertions that the website has a “stable reputation” and a “strong following of loyal members.”
The filings contend that the plaintiffs, two Kentucky residents who have each lost thousands of dollars gambling on the Bovada and Jumba Bet websites, are entitled to recover the money they lost playing the defendants’ casino games.
The lawsuit looks to represent anyone in Kentucky who gambled and lost $5.00 or more within a 24-hour period on Bovada.lv, Bovada.com or JumbaBet.com during the applicable statute of limitations period.
