Under-fire High 5 Games has had its license suspended by the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) Gaming Division in Connecticut, following an investigation that revealed the company to be operating an illegal casino within the state.
The Connecticut suspension follows a fine of almost $25 million for the company in Washington state against the company after a social casino class action suit, according to a report in Gambling Insider.
The investigation found that High 5 was running a High 5 Casino online website when the only licensed operators for the state are FanDuel and DraftKings. High 5 Games is now set to be charged with 1065 criminal counts of illegal gaming activity – commensurate with the number of local players who signed up.
DCP Gaming Division Director, Kris Gilman, said: “We are disappointed that a licensed gaming service provider took advantage of Connecticut consumers by operating an illegal casino platform. It is difficult to recover funds for consumers from illegal platforms. We remind consumers that gambling on licensed platforms is the only way to guarantee recovered funds in the event of an issue with a game or platform.”
High 5 hits back
“High 5 Games has always upheld the highest regulatory standards and remains committed to compliance across all jurisdictions in which we operate. Throughout our 30-year history as an established gaming brand in the US, we have worked closely with regulators to ensure responsible and transparent business practices, offering an experience to our loyal business partners that is both enjoyable and safe.
“We pride ourselves on the games we deliver as a B2B supplier to operators in all regulated markets in the United States, Canada, and Latin America. Honor, trust, and legal compliance will always be cornerstones of our business. We treasure our relationships with all iGaming operators as clients, and we safeguard these relationships with extreme care. We will always continue to work hard to bring the highest value of content to our partners in a reliable, safe way.
“We are committed to cooperating with Connecticut regulators to resolve this matter and maintain the integrity of our gaming licenses. Our focus remains on delivering exceptional and innovative gaming experiences while fully complying with all state and country regulations.”
