Baltimore sues 6 major online casinos, claims illegal gambling disguised as free games

The city of Baltimore is suing six major online casinos, alleging they promote illegal gambling disguised as free games and sweepstakes.

The lawsuit alleges that the companies violated Baltimore's Consumer Protection Ordinance by operating illegal online gambling platforms disguised as lawful sweepstakes and free online games, even though meaningful play requires real-money purchases.

The lawsuit also claims that the companies target minors and young users through cartoonish, video game-style designs and advertising on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

Officials say companies are foreign-owned and are not legally authorized in the state.

According to the complaint, the casinos named include Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots (VGW Holdings), McLuck (B2Services), Pulsz Casino (Yellow Social Interactive Limited), Stake.us (Sweepsteaks Limited), High 5 Games (High 5 Entertainment, LLC), and Fortune Coins (Blazesoft Ltd.).

"They are designed to be addictive, have minimal age verification and are not licensed in the state of Maryland," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said. "We are talking about foreign companies operating illegally in Baltimore and causing real harm to our residents."