Washington Attorney General Nick Brown has filed a lawsuit seeking to shut down 16 casino-style mobile apps operated by Playtika and Aristocrat, while attempting to recover more than $225 million that state residents have spent on virtual coins, chips and credits since September 2020. The case argues that games long marketed as free-to-play entertainment actually function as illegal, unlicensed gambling under Washington law.
According to the complaint, more than 150,000 Washington residents use the apps every month. The state alleges players made over 8 million purchases worth more than $151 million in Playtika titles, plus another 2.25 million purchases totaling more than $74 million in Aristocrat-linked apps. The named games include Slotomania, House of Fun, Caesars Casino Slots, Bingo Blitz, Big Fish Casino, Cashman Casino, Heart of Vegas, Lightning Link Casino and several others built around virtual slots, poker and bingo.
How Washington Defines a Gambling “Thing of Value”
The heart of the case rests on Washington’s unusually broad legal definition of a “thing of value.” State law treats gambling as staking something of value on a game of chance with the expectation of receiving something of value in return, and that definition can include the extension of entertainment or the privilege of continued play. The Attorney General’s office argues that virtual chips and credits qualify because they let players keep wagering, even though the apps don’t allow that currency to be cashed out directly.
Brown’s office is leaning heavily on the Ninth Circuit’s 2018 ruling in Kater v. Churchill Downs, which found that virtual casino chips could constitute a thing of value under Washington law. If Brown’s suit succeeds, it could extend that precedent further and reshape how regulators nationwide look at social casinos and sportsbooks that monetize in-game currency rather than real-money wagers.
Playtika Pushes Back, Case Heads to a King County Courtroom
Playtika disputes the state’s framing, pointing to a “continuous play” feature it says allows users to keep playing without spending real money. The company has filed a motion to dismiss, maintaining that its apps remain free-to-play entertainment products rather than gambling under any reasonable reading of the law. Aristocrat has not addressed the specifics of the complaint publicly.
Beyond the legal classification question, Brown’s complaint also alleges the companies ignored reports of financial and emotional harm tied to app usage, citing complaints describing debt, damaged relationships and gambling-related distress. The state further claims some of the apps failed to verify players’ ages before allowing them to spend real money on virtual currency, raising a separate concern about how these platforms differ from properly licensed and age-gated sportsbooks operating in regulated states.
The state is seeking restitution for affected residents, disgorgement of profits, civil penalties and an injunction that would bar Playtika and Aristocrat from operating the named apps in Washington. The motion to dismiss is scheduled for oral argument next month in a King County courtroom, though a full resolution of the underlying case could still take years.
What It Means for the Broader Social Casino Market
Washington has no licensed pathway for real-money online casino games, and this case underscores how aggressively the state is willing to police products that sit in the gray area between entertainment and wagering. A win for the Attorney General’s office could pressure other states to scrutinize similar sweepstakes-style and social casino apps more closely, even as those platforms have grown rapidly as an alternative for players in states without regulated online casino markets.
For now, the affected apps remain available for download while the legal fight plays out. Players who use social casino platforms in states with active regulation should stick to properly licensed products and keep an eye on how this case develops, since a ruling against Playtika and Aristocrat could ripple across the industry well beyond Washington’s borders.
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