Apple and Google are defendants in a class action lawsuit that claims they benefited from sweepstakes casinos offering illegal gambling to people in the US. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Sweepstakes casinos are in the spotlight for offering free-to-play games while often also paying out real-money prizes, which many people claim is a form of unlicensed gambling. Gaming tribes are leading the pushback, and the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States recently proposed a ban on these platforms.

claims they assisted sweepstakes casinos in offering illegal gambling

Google and Apple are now defendants in a RICO class action lawsuit in New Jersey which claims they assisted sweepstakes casinos in offering illegal gambling by allowing people to download the apps from their respective app stores. Both companies get a percentage of the in-app earnings.

The complaint names operators McLuck, CrownCoins Casino, WOW Vegas, and High Casino as other defendants. The plaintiffs seek injunctive relief and the recovery of funds lost through these platforms.

While people don’t need to deposit real money into their sweepstakes casino accounts, they can buy additional virtual coins to boost their balance. Sweeps Coins are typically redeemable for real money once players hit a minimum threshold.

The lawsuit claims operators rarely pay out these prizes due to “arbitrary and largely contrived reasons.” The complaint contends that the defendants violated the RICO Act, providing a case that the actions fall under the designation of a criminal enterprise.