Video game developer Zynga allegedly will agree to a $12 million settlement proposed by plaintiffs in Washington state who sued the company for offering illegal gambling games. The lawsuit is the fifth in a series of litigations against the company; the other four were resolved with settlements totaling $223 million.
The lawsuit claimed a few of Zynga’s mobile casino games required players to pay real money for virtual casino chips. This is illegal under Washington state law, which defines virtual chips as objects of value; therefore, under the law, mobile casino games are considered games of chance, or gambling.
The suggested $12 million is about 25 percent of the plaintiffs’ reported damages. State law allows the amount to be from 20 percent to more than 60 percent, which, given “the current economic climate will be life-changing for many Class Members.”
