Reports claim that Maverick Carter, an American sports-marketing businessman and media personality, has admitted to betting with an illegal operator. According to The Washington Post, Carter confessed his involvement in unlicensed gambling in 2021, during the investigation into ex-Minor League pro Wayne Nix.

Back then, Nix plead guilty to the operation of an illegal sports betting business and the filing of false tax returns. During the investigation, Carter admitted to a federal agent that he made roughly 20 bets with the illegal bookmaker.

Carter, who manages the Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar LeBron James, told the federals that he placed around 20 bets with the bookmaker. All of the bets were roughly between $5,000 and $10,000 and were all placed on football and basketball. However, none of the bets Carter made were placed on the Lakes and he did not make any bets on the behalf of other people.

Carter Cooperated with the Authorities

Carter is not an athlete or sports official, meaning he is not barred from wagering on sports, as per the NBA’s rules. As a result, he avoided sanctions from the league.

Adam Mendelsohn, a media spokesperson for Maverick Carter and LeBron James, contacted The Washington Post on the matter, clarifying that the former was never the target of the investigation. Mendelsohn added that the businessman cooperated with the federals and helped resolve the issue.

In addition, Carter was never charged and was never contacted on the matter again, Mendelsohn said.

Nix Ran a Gambling Operation for Athletes

For reference, the Wayne Nix investigation uncovered a longtime-running operation that included many high-profile clients from the sports sector. The operation had been running for over twenty years and was focused on catering to the betting needs of professional athletes (who are, under normal circumstances, prohibited from betting).

The operation was run by former athletes who acted as bookmakers, offering betting on sports to clients across various leagues.

The post Maverick Carter Was Involved in an Illegal Betting Ring, Reports Say appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Serious allegations have been made when it comes to Amazon – the e-commerce giant is allegedly involved in an illegal online gambling operation.

The lawsuit

The company allowed its users to download various social casino apps and play on them, which helped make billions of dollars of revenue.

Steven Horn from Nevada sued the company for making profits on social casino games. According to the class action complaint, the players can download casinos from Amazon for free. Even though they can’t earn any real money, they can buy virtual chips to play.

Virtual casinos and chips aren’t allowed in Washington, and the plaintiff is positive that the company is guilty. A similar situation occurred in August 2022 when International Game Technology and DoubleDown Interactive were selling illegal virtual chips, and they settled it for $415 million.

The lawsuit is supposed to make Amazon stop these games and return the earned money to its customers. There are 34 brands mentioned in the lawsuit, and among them are big industry names such as Jackpot Party, Monopoly Slots – Casino Games, Lotsa Slots, Jackpot Master, Black Diamond Casino, and Quick Hit Slots. On top of that, there is an illegal casino called Big Fish Casino.

Social casino apps and huge revenue

According to iGaming Business, the lawsuit says: “Social casinos are so lucrative because they mix the addictive aspects of traditional slot machines with the power of Amazon to leverage big data and social network pressures to identify, target, and exploit consumers prone to addictive behaviors.”

Social casino apps don’t have permission to operate on such high levels, and Amazon is directly involved in its distribution and sharing of revenue.

According to Statista’s research, only in 2020 about $6 billion was spent on gambling. It is stated in the lawsuit that Amazon took 30% of every bet placed on the platform. To compare, the traditional casinos take between 1% and 15%. This means the company earned $1.8 billion in 2020.

The consequence of the collaboration between the biggest e-commerce platform in the world and social casino brands is the serious addiction of the players, which has many consequences, including depression, divorce, and even attempted suicide.

In the US, social casinos are legal in the majority of cases, but the Washington Court has considered them illegal since 2018, especially mentioning Churchill Downs and Big Fish Casino. The virtual chips are considered “things of value,” so playing these games is actually gambling – but this didn’t stop Amazon from participating in such games.

The company hasn’t commented on the lawsuit yet.

Source: Fletcher, Robert, “Amazon faces legal challenge over “addictive” social casino apps”. iGaming Business. November 14, 2023.

The post Amazon Involved in the Lawsuit Over the Social Casino Games appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Italian soccer pro Nicolo Fagioli was recently suspended for betting on sports and breaching Article 24 of the Sporting Justice Code. The Juventus midfielder later claimed that he was introduced to the gambling scheme by Sandro Tonali. In line with Fagioli’s reveal, Paolo Jarre, the doctor responsible for the soccer player’s gambling treatment, said that there are likely many others involved in the scandal.

Jarre recently discussed Fagioli’s gambling addiction with La Gazzetta dello Sport. In addition to saying that the Juventus midfielder’s condition is not as bad as it could have been, the doctor suggested that other players likely participated in the scheme too.

Referring to Fagioli as a polite and subdued man, Jarre said that the soccer pro is statistically unlikely to have been the only player to gamble. As the situation continues to unfold, more players are likely to be incriminated and serve suspensions.

Currently, Tonali and Nicolò Zaniolo are also under scrutiny over similar violations.

Fagioli’s Career Isn’t Over yet

Speaking about Fagioli’s case with La Gazzetta, Jarre said that the player was aware that his betting adventure could lead to a long suspension. For reference, the player will be suspended for 12 months but will serve only 7 of them away from the field. The remaining 5 months will see the midfielder make up for his violation in other ways.

Seeking to reassure Fagioli that his career isn’t over, Jarre reminded the player about Paolo Rossi, who previously won a World Cup even after committing a betting violation. The doctor also said that the player is quickly recovering and does not feel a strong urge to wager anymore.

While Jarre was mostly positive about Fagioli’s case, he pointed out that gambling problems are a real disease and must be treated.

Gambling Was a Pastime Until It Was Not

Fagioli says he started gambling in 2021 after allegedly getting introduced to a site that leaves no trace by Tonali. The former player eventually placed wagers on soccer matches, tennis games and played casino games.

At first, it was a nice pastime but sadly, Fagioli quickly developed an addiction and got into debt. The Italian player revealed that he had even received threats because of some of his debts.

Fagioli concluded that he intends to pay back all of the money he took from friends and companions.

The post Fagioli’s Doctor Believes More People Are Involved in the Betting Scandal appeared first on Keno Wizard.

A recent case involving an unnamed English professional soccer manager has raised eyebrows as the Football Association (FA) decided not to sanction the individual despite evidence of substantial gambling activity. The manager’s betting activities came to light during an alleged blackmail case, further complicating the situation. The FA’s leniency starkly contrasts its recent punishment of high-profile players, garnering significant criticism.

The Alleged Offender Placed Regular Wagers

The manager’s identity remains protected by a court order regarding a 2022 blackmail case, which saw him accuse two professional soccer players, Alan Rogers and Steven Jennings, of extorting him. Both athletes denied the charges, and the manager ultimately withdrew his allegations, stating he wished to move on with his life.

However, court documents regarding the extortion case revealed the unnamed manager had engaged in extensive gambling, wagering £879,000 ($1.1 million) over two years. During this time, he incurred losses of £270,000 ($334,000). His bets notably extended to soccer matches within his league, but the data shows he did not bet on his team.

Such gambling behavior is strictly prohibited and can result in severe punishments. The FA has significantly tightened its enforcement policy, making its decision to pardon the manager highly puzzling. The Association likely decided that taking action could reveal the manager’s identity and risk legal action. However, this lack of enforcement has given rise to accusations of double standards and inconsistent enforcement.

Athletes Faced Harsh Punishments for Much Less

The FA’s renewed focus on sports integrity saw it sanction several high-profile athletes like Harry Toffolo, Chris Maguire, and Ivan Toney. The athletes may face significant repercussions for their careers, highlighting the Association’s focus on preventing potential conflicts of interest and maintaining a level playing field for all participants. 

By strictly enforcing these regulations, the FA hoped to demonstrate it would not tolerate any attempts to undermine the sport’s integrity. However, the decision not to sanction the unnamed manager severely undermines the Association’s image and casts a negative light on its harsh policies. The FA likely had valid reasons to avoid pressing the issue, but other offending individuals may attempt to use this ruling to avoid sanctions.

Although the contrast with the strict punishment meted out to Ivan Toney has fueled controversy and raised questions about the transparency and fairness of the FA’s approach, sports integrity must remain a priority. This case should prompt the Association to implement new policies and ensure that similar offenses cannot avoid sanctions in the future, promoting fairness and transparency.

The post English Pro Soccer Manager Involved in Alleged Gambling Scandal Escapes FA Sanction appeared first on Keno Wizard.