A New Low for Sweepstakes Casinos: Dustin Gouker's Now Deleted LinkedIn Post 'A Total S***show From the Trade..."

Inquiring minds want to know.

Dustin Gouker, a respected gaming industry analyst and journalist, posted something juicy on his LinkedIN page that delved into the sweepstakes casino sector, referring to a "shitshow" and perhaps something to do with a trade organization. 

We don't know as the post has since been deleted from the original source.  Gouker advised he was simply reposting on his LinkedIN page and the post wasn't written by him.

Spotted by @FSDiMasi

No, seriously, @carltontsaffa, @VictorRocha1, @WALLACHLEGAL, @SBAllianceUS, @MatthewKredell, @BittGDCG, @JasonSaine @gambling911

This is a new low for sweepstakes.https://t.co/1baeZ0U6oh

— iGaming Advocate (@iGamingAdvocate) March 24, 2025

Other industry luminaries were quick to direct us to this link.

SPGA Partners with Kinectify for AML Enhancement

From THAT article....

The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) has partnered with Kinectify to develop an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Best Practices Guidebook, which is set to be released publicly in the coming weeks. 

"This collaboration with Kinectify is another example of our industry's commitment to setting the highest standards for financial integrity and consumer protection,” SPGA Spokesperson Camilla Wright said. 

“Clear, actionable AML protocols tailored to social casino and sweepstakes gaming don't just meet regulatory requirements, they provide the guardrails to ensure these mobile games can continue to be played responsibly and confidently by the millions of American adults who enjoy them today.”

The collaboration has resulted in some controversy apparently that's resulted in a whole lot of mostly diligent folks having to delete LinkedIn posts it seems.

ChatGPT to the Rescue

When all else fails, ChatGPT offered its take on what is transpiring here.

According to ChatGPT, Joseph Martin, a professional in the compliance field, stated that the SPGA issued an unauthorized press release containing a quote on sweepstakes that Kinectify never provided.

Marin's LinkedIn post has since been deleted as well.

To be clear, Gambling911.com is not immune to the "please delete that article, we never said that" directive.

Wallach Points to a More Worrying Issue for the Industry

All this deleting of LinkedIn posts has us dizzy but one well regarded gaming attorney hasn't deleted his Twitter post pertaining to what could potentially prove to be a dagger for the sweepstakes sector.

From gaming attorney Daniel Wallach and his "must follow" Twitter feed:

Apple and Google have been named in a new RICO federal class action lawsuit for facilitating illegal gambling by: (1) distributing sweepstakes casino apps through their respective platforms; (2) taking a “substantial percentage” of all in-app purchases of virtual coins; (3) “processing illicit transactions” between consumers and sweepstakes casinos using their proprietary payment systems; and (4) using targeted advertising that employs search algorithms to “shepherd the most vulnerable customers to the sweepstakes casino websites and apps.”

This is the re-filing of the two prior federal cases that had been dismissed without prejudice by Julio Bargo and Lamar Prater. They are joined in this one by a third plaintiff — Rebecca Platt (a NY resident). But instead of suing sweepstakes casino operators directly (as they did previously), plaintiffs are suing only Apple and Google to recover — on behalf of a nationwide class — the losses sustained by all players who transacted with ANY sweepstakes casino website through Apple or Google. (However, the websites most prominently mentioned in the complaint are High 5 Casino, Chumba Casino, and Luckyland).

Some of the more notable allegations:

1) “The Defendants facilitate the Sweepstakes Casinos' predatory conduct by helping them target the consumers most likely to fall prey to their illicit scheme. The Defendants provide marketing guidance, promotional tools, and more to drive consumers to download the Sweepstakes Casinos’ apps and make in-app purchases.“

2) “The Defendants monitor game activity and collect spending data that the Sweepstakes Casinos use to increase user spending on their apps and websites, allowing them to target a small percentage of high-spending users who drive much of the Sweepstakes Casinos' revenues.”

3) “Despite knowing that the Sweepstakes Casinos' websites and apps are illegal, the Defendants continue to maintain a sizable financial interest by hosting their apps on the GOOGLE's App Store and APPLE's Play Store; using targeted advertising powered by search algorithms to drive customers to the Sweepstakes Casinos apps and websites; and in many instances, processing payments on behalf of the Sweepstakes Casinos themselves."

4) “Defendants, two of the most successful companies in the world, are thus directly profiting from the Sweepstakes Casinos' unlawful misconduct. Their payment subsidiaries are in essence acting as a cashier's window for these predatory Sweepstakes Casinos.”

5) “This ongoing Sweepstakes Casino Enterprise necessarily promotes the success of each of its members: the Sweepstakes Casinos need the Defendants to access consumers, distribute their illegal gambling software, and process payments. The Defendants, for their part, need developers like the Sweepstakes Casinos to publish and market the misleading and pernicious software applications on their App Store (APPLE) and Play Store (GOOGLE), and they distribute the illegal gambling software to generate massive revenue streams for all parties to the Enterprise.”

6) “Losses to the Plaintiff Class amount to hundreds of millions of dollars,” which could be trebled under the federal RICO statute.