Scandals

Amaya Slams Kentucky’s $290 Million Lawsuit Against PokerStars

Amaya Inc. has branded a $290 million lawsuit brought against its subsidiary PokerStars by the Commonwealth of Kentucky as “frivolous” and “without merit,” and vowed that it will “vigorously dispute” any liability...

San Diego Casino Raids: Money Laundering, Prostitution, and Mafia Links

Two San Diego card rooms and 25 players are under investigation by the FBI following a surprise raid earlier this week. The Seven Mile Casino on Bay Boulevard in Chula Vista and the Black Jack Palomar Casino, both in San Diego...

Former Teacher Charged with Charity Poker Fraud

A former high school teacher from the Kearsley School District, Michigan, has been arrested on suspicion of stealing money raised through a series of charity poker tournaments. Timothy Phipps from Flint appeared in court on...

Oklahoma Poker Home Game Shooting Leaves One Man Deceased in Modern-Day “Dead Man’s Hand” Scene

An Oklahoma poker home game shooting terrified neighbors in the tiny town of fewer than 5,000 residents over the weekend. The small town of Sulphur in the Sooner State is eponymously named for its sulpher springs, for which it...

Travell Thomas Alleged $31 Million Fraudulent Debt Collection Agency Wire Charges Could Land Poker Player 20 Years

Travell Thomas, a New York poker player who holds two WSOPC rings, has been indicted by the US Attorney’s Manhattan office on charges of wire fraud, and is accused of being the head of the “largest fraudulent...

Dwyte Pilgrim Allegedly Defrauds Fellow Poker Pro Aaron Massey

Dwyte Pilgrim may have a difficult time finding another poker player to stake him. According to a fellow poker pro, Pilgrim doesn’t pay back loans. Aaron Massey, a successful tournament pro, has accused Pilgrim of refusing to...

Valeriu Coca Exonerated of WSOP Cheating

Valeriu Coca, the Moldovan poker player at the center of alleged WSOP cheating scandal over the summer, has been cleared of wrongdoing by a joint investigation conducted by WSOP officials and the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Coca...

High Roller Dan Bilzerian Continues DraftKings Partnership, Despite DFS Operator’s Move Away From Poker

Dan Bilzerian and DraftKings teamed up earlier this month for a contest titled “Beat Blitz,” a special fantasy football game that came with 10 VIP prizes for the top finishers, featuring a weekend in Cabo San Lucas...

Ethan Haskell Exonerated in DFS “Insider Trading” Scandal

Ethan Haskell, the DraftKings employee who found himself at the center of the daily fantasy sports “insider trading” debacle has been exonerated of any wrongdoing by an independent investigation. Haskell was the mid-level...

Phil Ivey v Borgata Legal Tennis Match Continues as Casino Files (Yet Another) Motion

Phil Ivey’s ongoing baccarat battle with the Borgata took another turn this week after yet another motion was filed by the Atlantic City casino. The latest move in a war that’s been raging since 2014 sees the Borgata...