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In what the state agency calls the first time, gambling enforcement agents have paid to play slots for gamblers who roam casinos in the Twin Cities area and watch live TikTok streams in hopes of getting rich quick. He said he sniffed out an illegal betting duo that was making money.
Minnesota Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement investigators said in court filings this week that two men were remote bookmakers at the Mystic Lake Casino on Prior Lake and at the Treasure Island Resort & Casino just outside the Red Wing. I made it clear that I was in business. Laws prohibiting placing bets on behalf of others.
Agency spokeswoman Nicole Roddy confirmed the ongoing investigation, adding, “Prior to that case, no other cases of that nature have been reported.”
The search warrant affidavit targeted a 39-year-old man from Edina who, according to the agency, initially collected a subscription fee of $5.99 through the cash app, and then paid $25 for every $100 deposited as a wager, according to the agency. Holding dollars and live streaming on video sharing apps. Tick tock. The affidavit said the man’s brother was sometimes involved. .
The affidavit filed Tuesday sought permission from the Hennepin County District Court to access, among other things, the man’s financial transaction information and other financial records, cash app login history and customer service notes through October. rice field.
Files and archived videos filed on the man’s main TikTok account, which shows 165,000 followers worldwide, show betting operations in at least one casino over the past three months. He finished one session before dawn on Thursday.
The affidavit does not specify the amount of money won or lost during a single live stream session. A video highlight, archived on the man’s TikTok page, shows wads of cash on display and slot machines occasionally rolling out big jackpots, including one that topped $15,000 last month.
The American Gaming Association, which represents sportsbooks and casinos across the country, said it had never heard of such a gambling scheme. It violates the casino’s anti-money laundering protocols and is a threat to the financial system.”
Both casino operators appear to be involved in the TikTok bookie business. According to the affidavit, on Jan. 12, the man spoke on a livestream about being kicked out of Mystic Lake during a previous visit. “We just received a notice of permanent trespassing,” he said.
Eric Pail, longtime spokesman for the Prairie Island Indian community and its casinos, said, “In my work with casinos, this is new to me. Shocking. No.”
Pehle said the Prairie Island Gaming Commission began getting hints about the TikTok bookie on January 6, kicked him out of the casino on January 9, and kicked him out again on January 12.
Commission Executive Director Clayton Tix said: “When we learned that individuals were using social media platforms to place bets on behalf of others, that is exactly what the Gaming Commission did.
“We are allowed to allow social media influencers to broadcast from within our property, but we are not allowed to bet on others.”
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Gaming Enterprise, which runs Mystic Lake, said in a statement on Friday that it “allows live streaming if it is limited to guests and their parties.” [and] It is prohibited to engage in gambling to profit from the bets of others. ”
The alleged live-streaming gambler has yet to respond to several messages from the Star Tribune.
But that agent’s affidavit explains in great detail how the out-of-bounds company has been attracting followers.
A Las Vegas informant contacted the state on Jan. 9 to report that the man and his brother were live-streaming from casinos via various TikTok accounts and collecting money from their followers to play on slot machines. Did. The man “receives part of the money his followers paid him. [he] Although called a deposit or donation, it is understood to be the follower’s total bet. ”
Another tipster is the mother of a 16-year-old from Pennsylvania who caught wind of TikTok bookmakers on the night of Jan. 11, “just before her.” [son] I sent money to gambling
A state agent said he saw the live stream from the Treasure Island casino that night himself, saying, “I observed. [him] engage in the same illegal gambling activities described by our Las Vegas informant.”
“It was clear [he] …was making bets for his followers during this livestream,” the state agent wrote in her affidavit.[He] Verbally ask the player by name which slot machine they want [him] to play for them. ”
At one point, one player in a TikTok chat asked if the minimum bet was $100 or $200. Lest he be ridiculed for betting on others, the man replied verbally. Also, payments from gamblers were sometimes considered “donations”.
Roddy, an agency that has been in Minnesota since 1996, said when it comes to illegal gambling, “it’s not just about making sure people follow the law, it’s also about protecting consumers.” pointed out.
Otherwise, “there’s no guarantee that you’ll get paid if you place a bet or win. There’s no way of knowing if the bet was fair.”
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