Services | Online Gaming & Gambling

Investigations

investigations cover image

Investigations

The business and public relations fallout from a government investigation can be fatal: business can come to a complete standstill under a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction, assets can be seized, and a receiver may be appointed.

Ifrah Law helps online gaming and other technology companies manage and conclude inquiries by federal and state agencies so that our clients can resume business. We assist in responding to investigations, requests for information, and government subpoenas from federal agencies, as well as U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Disrict Attorney’s Offices, state attorneys general, and state regulatory agencies, on matters ranging from AML/KYC to data privacy to tax disputes, to name a few.  Our attorneys’ backgrounds in government, private practice, and academia have yielded established relationships and credibility with federal prosecutors and investigators across all the main federal agencies.

Ifrah Law has handled a number of high-profile FTC and CFTC investigations and enforcement actions involving internet marketing campaigns and related issues, such as the scientific substantiation of advertising claims. In one highly publicized matter, Ifrah Law succeeded in convincing a jury to completely reject the government’s claims of fraud in one of the very few SEC compliance cases to actually proceed to trial. In another high-profile litigation, we represented international financial clients against federal claims by the SEC and the CFTC regarding the trading of binary options contracts, resulting in a satisfactory global settlement.

Case Studies

Obtaining an Historic Settlement with the Department of Justice

When the U.S. government seizes assets and funds, they are rarely predisposed to give any back. But in this case against a payment processing company—from which federal authorities in Maryland seized over $2 million of allegedly illegal proceeds in connection with an investigation of illegal sports betting –Ifrah Law helped its client get half of it back.

The Department of Justice was very aggressive in seizing the payment processor’s assets in California, claiming it was a front for the gambling industry. Our precise forensic investigation demonstrated that over 50 percent of our client’s proceeds came from legal, legitimate sources, and that the scope of the seizure was overly broad.

The result was the first settlement on record where the Department of Justice agreed to refund over $1 million of proceeds initially represented to the Court as illegal.

Read Case Study +

Victorious Dismissal in PokerStars Class Actions

PokerStars turned to Ifrah Law to defend it against an attempted class action filed under the Illinois Loss Recovery Act in the plaintiff-friendly Southern District, where individuals can seek to collect losses on behalf of third parties that fail to make their own claims within six months of losing their wagers. The case posed the risk of a multi-million dollar hit to PokerStars, and could open the door for related class actions against online poker operators.

We successfully argued that PokerStars was not liable because it serves as a third party service provider— it only provides the forum for others to play and lacks a stake in the outcome.

The decision closed the door on future class actions against PokerStars, and provides precedent for other class actions that may arise against online gaming operators under loss recovery statutes.

Read Case Study +