Wild West in Washington: Playtika and Aristocrat Face Massive Lawsuit

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown pulled no punches in a massive lawsuit filed against social casino heavyweights Platika and Aristocrat Leisure this week. Brown alleges that these companies have operated illegal, unlicensed online gambling schemes that have fleeced citizens of the Evergreen State out of more than $225 million in the past five years.

The lawsuit filed on 3 February 2026 actually names 16 apps owned or operated by the two parent subsidiaries, including World Series of Poker, Vegas Downtown Slots, and Big Fish Casino, which the AG says have ignored settled state law to run what amounts to a digital wild west.

The World Series of Poker app shouldn’t be confused with the fully licensed and legal WSOP.com. Playtika operates this social poker app completely independently under a licensing agreement.

Targeting the Next Generation?

Perhaps the most damning part of the complaint revolves around allegations that the apps were designed to hook players, including children, without any of the safeguards found in licensed, legal brick and mortar or online casino operations.

• No Age Gates: The suit alleges that despite a TOS that technically requires a player to be 21 or older, the apps do not in fact ask for a date of birth or perform ANY age verification during the onboarding process.

• Cartoon marketing: Playtika’s Bingo Blitz was called out specifically for “child-like themes,” which feature a blue cat named Blitzy and Mxie, a pink mouse.

AG Brown argues that these types of characters, along with Pixar style animation, as well as a YouTube channel oddly similar to children’s programming, is evidence of targeting a minor audience.

Forgotten History?

While ignoring age verification and using cartoon characters to tout a casino already seems ill-advised, the decision to operate in this manner in Washington is particularly notable. It’s certainly not their first or even second rodeo with “free to play” poker and slot schemes.

The state has a unique legal landscape after the 2018 Kater vs Churchill Downs ruling, which established that virtual chips are things of value even if they can’t be redeemed for a cash prize. It is plainly understood that under Washington law, wagering something of value on a game of chance without a license is illegal gambling–period.

“These companies repeatedly violated Washington law, engaged in deceptive practices, and fleeced Washingtonians out of hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Brown. “It is especially troubling to see gambling apps targeting children.”

Restitution or Extinction?

According to the court filings:

• Playtika: Users made over 8 million purchases of virtual coins totaling more than 150 million dollars.

• Aristocrat: Users spent roughly $74 million, averaging more than $1.6 million a month from Washington state players alone. 

Beyond the staggering totals, the complaint also dives deep into the individual human cost of these operations. They cite specific instances of players hooked by the app's authentic casino design. One Playtika user spent more than $440,000, while an Aristocrat player racked up losses totaling more than $4,000 a month over a four year period.

The complaint is filled with pages of emails from players describing ongoing gambling addiction struggles and harrowing personal struggles  and asking to please be banned, but the algorithms allegedly made sure the “buy now” ads and emails kept coming. 

The AG argues predatory tactics like the relentless pop ups and “Another Chance Gift,” a nominal amount of free chips given when your account hits zero, formed an “addictive ecosystem” designed to prolong sessions and encourage more in-app purchases. 

The State’s suggested remedy is $7,500 in civil penalties for each and every violation of the State’s Consumer Protection Act, which, considering the millions of transactions, could be an extinction level event for any operators who are found to have played fast and loose with Washington's notoriously restrictive laws around virtual coins and gambling.

While these social casinos have long argued that virtual chips are just for fun, Washington’s 9th Circuit didn’t agree. Washington’s latest offensive is hard evidence that they intend to abide by that court's ruling. If the AG succeeds, this “social” era of gambling may finally be held to the same standards as the traditional house.