Bovada is one of those sportsbooks known for being an illegal, yet lucrative, operation. It’s the illegal part the company has to face in a multimillion dollar lawsuit brought by Billi Jo Woods in Kentucky.
Never heard of her?
The folks at Bovada have.
Woods filed the lawsuit August 8 in the Eastern District of Kentucky against Morris Mohawk Gaming Group, Alywin Morris, Calvin Ayre, and Harp Media BV. Morris Mohawk Gaming Group is a company based on the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory outside of Montreal in Quebec, Canada.
The complaint alleges that the group receives “substantial revenues” from various internet domains including several associated with Bovada, according to Legal Sports Report.
The complaint also names Morris, the group’s CEO, and Ayre, who is listed as the “owner and chief operator of Bodog,” which lists the illegal Bovada sites as within the “Bodog Network.” The final listed defendant is Curaçao-based company, Harp Media BV, which is alleged to be part owner of Bovada’s sites.
“Plaintiff Billi Jo Woods brings this action on behalf of herself, and all others similarly situated against Defendants,” the class action complaint begins in its request for a jury trial in the federal court. The lawsuit seeks class certification with at least $5 million in damages at stake.
Woods alleges that Bovada and Bodog actively targeted players in Kentucky and in other states in direct violation of federal and state laws.
Woods, from Lawrenceburg, wasn’t around when the statute she is depending on was enacted—Kentucky’s gambling loss recovery law dates back to the 1800s. Under certain conditions, a gambler may sue to recover lost money. Kentucky also allows for triple damages in some circumstances. Now you know why Woods is at the forefront.
The complaint reads that by operating online casinos, the defendants violated Kentucky law and have “illegally profited from tens of thousands of consumers.” The plaintiffs are seeking to recover the losses of those individuals and their attorneys’ fees.
The basis for this claim is also what is termed federal diversity jurisdiction,
where at least one defendant resides in a different state and the remuneration exceeds $75,000, or $5 million if a class action.
While the details of the operations resemble any legal online gambling operation, Bovada has “evaded the laws of Kentucky and other states,” while advertising to Kentucky residents that is is a “legitimate online business.”
Woods reportedly lost thousands of dollars gambling on Bovada websites. She ceased playing in July. Woods’ attorneys say Bovada, and its sister site marketed U.S. consumers with illegal claims that the gaming websites are a “trusted source for gaming and betting.”
The websites additionally claim that the iCasino platforms are perfect for those “looking to blow off some steam with a little slot or table game session,” according to Casino.org.
It should be noted that such operators sometimes offer better lines and odds than legal sites in the U.S.
The guess is that the resolution is years up the road—defendants are found all over the world. The plaintiff does not have an address for Ayre. If the service of the complaint is waived, the defendants have 90 days to respond. If they are served then they are given 20 days.
