Compliance Updates

Seminole-Backed Group Claims Fraud in Fla. Casino Initiative

Published

3 years ago

January 13, 2022

Seminole-Backed Group Claims Fraud in Fla. Casino Initiative

The Seminole Tribe of Florida has gone on the offensive in litigation over a Las Vegas Sands Corp.-backed ballot initiative aimed at opening the Sunshine State to additional casinos, accusing the sponsor of “brazenly violating” Florida election law in its efforts to gather needed voter signatures.

The battle in a Leon County circuit court started with Florida Voters in Charge, the political committee behind the proposal, claiming that parties acting on behalf of the Seminoles, who have held exclusive rights to offer certain casino gaming in the state, improperly interfered with its petitioning. But on Monday, the tribe-backed political committee Standing Up for Florida Inc. and its president, political consultant Pradeep “Rick” Asnani, filed a counter-claim accusing the plaintiffs of illegally paying petition gatherers on a per-signature basis, shredding certain petitions or forging information on incomplete petitions.

“The Constitution of Florida is under attack,” Standing Up for Florida cautioned, adding, “The counter-defendants’ illicit conduct is an attack on Florida’s election integrity.”

State law requires sponsors of citizen initiatives to gather valid signatures from at least 8% of the state electorate, or 891,000 registered voters, by Feb. 1 to qualify for the November 2022 general election ballot, but the Seminole-backed parties argue that the alleged violations render any signatures gathered by Florida Voters in Charge under such contracts to be null and void.

Standing Up for Florida, which said it has spent “exorbitant resources” to voice its opposition to the initiative and fight the allegedly fraudulent petition gathering, asserted that the per-signature payments are “flatly illegal” under a 2019 law that banned such payments.

It also cited affidavits from an employee and a former subcontractor of Grassfire LLC, a firm that coordinated some of the petition gathering, who testified that in addition to the allegedly illegal contracts, the company also illegally shredded and discarded some petitions that it thought would be rejected by state officials in order to reduce its submission fees, filled in omitted information, such as dates and addresses, and even forged state officials’ signatures.

The counter-claim names Florida Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee and Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark S. Earley as third-party defendants in connection with its request for a declaratory judgment voiding the submitted signatures. Standing Up for Florida also named the officials in an accompanying emergency motion for a temporary injunction to stop them from counting the disputed petitions.

The ballot initiative, titled “Limited Authorization of Casino Gaming,” would authorize state officials to permit casino-style games, including blackjack, roulette and slot machines, at up to three new casinos, with the restriction that they be located at least 130 miles from existing tribal casinos.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. has poured nearly $50 million into Florida Voters in Charge, according to election finance records, and news reports have suggested that, based on the proposal’s geographic limitations, the global gaming giant is aiming to open a casino in Jacksonville, in the northeast corner of the state.

Florida Voters in Charge sued Standing Up for Florida, another Seminole-backed entity known as Let the Voters Decide LLC and several other parties on Dec. 1. In an amended complaint, it alleged that the defendants have engaged in increasingly aggressive efforts to harass and intimidate its signature collectors. The suit also accuses them of “paying off” these workers by either hiring them away to gather signatures for an unnecessary “sham” petition purportedly related to a new Seminoles gaming compact or simply paying them to stop working on the new casino initiative and, in some cases, leave the state during the process.

A Leon County circuit judge denied Standing Up for Florida’s motion to dismiss, in which it argued that it acted within the state’s open labor market to compete for these workers’ services. But she ordered the plaintiffs to submit contracts that the defendants pointed out were missing to support the interference claims.

In its filings Monday, Standing Up for Florida pointed out that Grassfire produced a redacted copy of its petition gatherer contract form, but publicly available copies of the form showed Grassfire had blocked out portions detailing “bonus” payments based on the number of signatures collected.

Standing Up for Florida acknowledged that elements of the arguments in its counter-claim were rejected when it previously raised them in a separate action it filed in Palm Beach County, where it is based. But the group said that it believes that court erred by finding that the 2019 law’s authorization for the state attorney general to seek injunctions for election fraud preempted private litigants, such as itself, from bringing election integrity actions. The law, it pointed out, said nothing about ending more than 100 years of private litigants bringing such cases in Florida.

With state elections officials allowed 60 days to verify submitted signatures, Dec. 30 marked an effective deadline to guarantee that signatures will be counted by the Feb. 1 deadline, so a ruling in favor of the Seminole parties’ claims would end the initiative’s chances for appearing on the November 2022 general election ballot.

According to the latest Department of Elections records, Florida Voters in Charge had obtained verification of about 426,000 signatures. On Tuesday, the Florida Supreme Court — as part of the usual elections process — tentatively scheduled oral arguments for March 8 on whether the proposed ballot question and title is clear and not misleading and satisfies a single-subject requirement.

Counsel for Standing Up for Florida and the other defendants declined on Tuesday to comment beyond their latest filings. Counsel for the Florida Voters in Charge and other plaintiffs did not respond to a request for comment.

Standing Up for Florida and the other defendants are represented by William N. Shepherd, Jeffrey M. Schacknow and Henry A. Moreno of Holland & Knight LLP.

Florida Voters in Charge and signature gathering companies The Human Connection and I & R Campaign Management Services are represented by James McKee, Benjamin J. Grossman and W. Bradley Russell of Foley & Lardner LLP.

Grassfire LLC is represented by Eduardo S. Lombard and Angela D. Miles of Radey Law Firm.

Related Topics:Las Vegas Sands The Seminole Tribe of Florida

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INCENTIVE GAMES RECEIVES FULL PAY-TO-PLAY GAMING CERTIFICATION IN BRAZIL

Published

16 hours ago

January 17, 2025

George Miller

INCENTIVE GAMES RECEIVES FULL PAY-TO-PLAY GAMING CERTIFICATION IN BRAZIL

Incentive Games, a leading B2B games provider specialising in player acquisition and retention, today announced it has received full certification from Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) to offer its Pay-to-Play games in the Brazilian market.

This certification encompasses Incentive Games’ entire suite of games, random number generator (RNG), and remote gaming service (RGS), paving the way for the company to expand its reach into the thriving Brazilian gaming market.

Stewart Gove, COO of Incentive Games, commented, “This GLI certification is a huge milestone for us, and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Incentive Games team. It demonstrates our commitment to delivering the highest quality and most secure gaming experiences to players worldwide. We are delighted to now offer our P2P games to licensed operators in the dynamic Brazilian market.”

Compliance Updates

FBMDS obtains certification to operate in Brazil

Published

17 hours ago

January 17, 2025

George Miller

FBMDS obtains certification to operate in Brazil

FBMDS proudly announces its certification to operate in the Brazilian iGaming market, marking a significant milestone in its global expansion strategy. This achievement reinforces FBMDS’s leadership in the video bingo category and its commitment to deliver spotless quality, innovation and compliance to Brazilian operators and players.

With this certification, FBMDS becomes one of the few iGaming providers authorized to deliver certified, high-quality games tailored to the Brazilian market in which the brand is deeply enrooted because of its cultural background. This development not only strengthens the brand’s position in a rapidly growing sector but also offers Brazilian players and operators access to a portfolio of games that combine cutting-edge technology, cultural match, and world-class security standards.

“This certification represents a pivotal moment in our journey,” said Renato Almeida, Director at FBMDS. “It demonstrates our commitment to the Brazilian market, ensuring a safe, exciting, and fully compliant gaming experience for players, while empowering operators with premium certified content that drives engagement and growth.”

For FBMDS, this milestone aligns with its 2025 narrative: a roadmap focused on market expansion, innovation, and leadership in key iGaming segments. Brazil’s rapidly expanding market provides a prime opportunity to bring FBMDS’s renowned expertise in video bingo to a whole different level.

For operators, FBMDS’ certified games provide assurance of compliance with Brazilian regulations, while its innovative products and collections are designed to captivate players and drive business growth.

On what Brazilian players is concerned, online casino gaming enthusiasts can look forward to a personalized gaming experience that reflects their culture, preferences, and expectations, underpinned by the highest standards of excellence and safety.

Following this certification, FBMDS will launch a series of targeted marketing campaigns, event participations such as the SBC Summit Rio, in Rio de Janeiro, this February, and direct engagements with new clients. In the first quarter, FBMDS plans to strengthen its partnerships with operators and expand its footprint in Brazil through strategic initiatives and localized offerings.

FBMDS has long been a pioneer in the video bingo category, delivering innovative, culturally relevant titles that resonate with global audiences. Certification in Brazil is simply the recognition of its expertise and dedication to raising the bar in iGaming. By aligning its operations with local regulatory requirements, FBMDS ensures that its games offer a seamless, enjoyable experience while meeting the market’s unique demands.

Compliance Updates

Bragg Gaming is Live in Brazil’s Regulated iGaming Market

Published

3 days ago

January 15, 2025

George Miller

Bragg Gaming is Live in Brazil’s Regulated iGaming Market

Bragg’s proprietary and exclusive content and aggregation businesses are well-positioned to fuel double digit top- and bottom-line growth in 2025, targeting Brazil’s USD 1.4 billion iCasino market, which is expected to reach USD 3.7 billion by 2029.

Bragg Gaming Group a provider of iGaming content and platform technology solutions to the iGaming industry is proud to confirm that it is live as a supplier to licensed operators in the Brazilian market, following the introduction of regulated online casino operations in the territory on January 1, 2025.

The newly regulated Brazilian online casino market is projected to be worth USD 1.4 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 3.7 billion by 2029 according to H2 Gambling Capital.

As a specialist regulated iGaming market supplier, Bragg believes it is well positioned to capitalize on the launch and projected growth of the Brazilian market and that revenue from the Brazilian market could represent up to 10% of the Company’s total revenue in 2025.

Bragg is currently live with approximately one-third of licensed iCasino operators in Brazil, with prominent partners including Superbet, KTO, Betano, Novibet, Sportingbet and Betboo. The Company expects integrations to reach over half of licensed operators in Brazil by the end of Q2 2025.

Bragg’s current content offerings include key proprietary content titles such as Egyptian Magic by Atomic Slot Lab and Crazy Diamonds by Indigo Magic. Accelerating proprietary content growth is a strategic priority for the Company, as fully-owned IP typically delivers higher gross profit margins, driving bottom-line growth and supporting a balanced, margin-accretive product mix.

Complementing its proprietary content offering, the Company has also introduced exclusive online casino games in the jurisdiction from its carefully selected “Powered by Bragg” partners including Bluberi, Sega Sammy Creation and King Show Games. Additionally, the Company intends to develop strategic relationships with local studio partners which will enhance Bragg’s ability to deliver content tailored to Brazilian players.

Bragg’s content strategy in Brazil, key to its top-line growth plans, also includes online casino content aggregation through its Bragg HUB delivery platform. Bragg HUB provides a comprehensive iGaming content service, offering over 10,000 online casino game titles including from leading content providers in Brazil. This offering is enhanced by the Fuze™ player engagement platform, featuring tools for acquisition, cross-selling, conversion, and retention, including bonuses, free rounds, jackpots, and an AI-powered game recommendation engine.

The Company serves Brazilian operators from its Bragg São Paulo office, led by LatAm Regional Director Sara Mosallaee and Senior Account Manager Amanda Alexandrini, providing fully localized support.

Matevz Mazij, Chief Executive Officer at Bragg Gaming Group commented: “We’re delighted to expand into the newly regulated market in Brazil, and to be there for our customers on the first day of launch with our in-demand content portfolio and player engagement platform.

“At Bragg we have extensive experience of delivering highly localized iGaming content and technology solutions in regulated markets, and we now expect the Brazilian market to become a key territory for us and a significant driver of our growth in the wider LatAm region.

“This latest regulated market launch sets us on a strong trajectory for 2025, helping us deliver our strategic objectives of increased revenue through proprietary, exclusive and aggregated online casino content, while at the same time adding geographical diversity to our revenue streams, promoting stable, long-term growth for the Company.”

Neill Whyte, Chief Commercial Officer at Bragg Gaming Group added: “We’ve been working hard to make sure we have the right content, the right people and the right structures in place to support our Brazilian operator partners from day 1 of market launch, and I’m proud to say we are now live in this exciting market which offers so much potential.

“We’re already partnered or are in talks with approximately half of the Brazilian iGaming operator market, and that leaves plenty of room for growth. We will be busy in the coming months showcasing our games and technology solutions with both existing customers and potential new partners as we continue to grow our presence in Brazil and across the LatAm region.”