Lawsuit filed against Modo Casino, McLuck Social Casino, and lending platform Affirm by Law Office of Reshma Kamath on behalf of Matthew Joyce

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A North Carolina man has filed a multi-count lawsuit in the Federal U.S. District Court, Sacramento division, against ARB Gaming LLC (DBA Modo Casino), B2Services OU (DBA McLuck Social Casino), and Affirm, Inc., alleging predatory practices that exploited his gambling addiction and caused severe financial and emotional harm. The Law Office of Reshma Kamath has initiated and filed the lawsuit.

Plaintiff Matthew Joyce, who suffers from a recognized gambling disorder as well as bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety, claims that the defendants engaged in unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent business practices through online gaming platforms marketed as sweepstakes but functioning as illegal lotteries. The complaint asserts violations of the Unruh Civil Rights Act, breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, unjust enrichment, and violations of the California Financial Lenders Law.

According to the complaint, Joyce's vulnerability was deliberately targeted. He was elevated to "Black Diamond" status, which granted him preferential treatment such as personal hosts, substantial free credits, and incentives not offered to ordinary players.

According to the lawsuit, the timing of the plaintiff's wins and losses followed a specific pattern orchestrated by the defendants to maximize addiction and financial harm. Specifically, larger wins were strategically timed to occur at the beginning of weekends, which prevented the plaintiff from withdrawing funds during non-business days. Meanwhile, the defendants' redemption policies required one-to-two business days for processing, deliberately allowing cancellation options they knew the plaintiff would utilize.

Despite clear signs of Joyce's gambling disorder, the lawsuit states the defendants failed to implement responsible gaming measures. Instead, they continued to encourage gambling through VIP promotions and direct offers.

The lawsuit also highlights the role of Affirm, Inc., which allegedly facilitated Joyce's gambling through high-interest loans, many with APRs of 24 to 25 percent. These loans, according to the complaint, were encouraged by the gaming platforms and were used almost exclusively for gambling. Despite Joyce's mounting debt and clear gambling-related losses, Affirm continued to pursue collection on these loans.

The defendants are accused of disguising their operations as lawful sweepstakes while in fact operating illegal gambling systems. They represented their games as fair and compliant with the law, promised prompt withdrawal processing, and advertised protections they failed to uphold. Joyce alleges that these false claims caused him substantial financial losses, including direct gambling expenditures and interest payments, as well as emotional distress and psychological harm.

Joyce seeks damages against ARB Gaming LLC, B2Services OU, and Affirm, Inc. Additional relief sought includes punitive damages, restitution of wrongfully obtained funds, disgorgement of profits, and coverage of attorney's fees.

The lawsuit raises serious questions about the regulation of online sweepstakes platforms and their overlap with unlawful gambling operations. It also highlights concerns regarding financial technology companies facilitating gambling-related debt without adequate consumer protections.

A copy of the lawsuit can be downloaded here and at LawsuitPressRelease.com.

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SOURCE Law Office of Reshma Kamath on behalf of Matthew Joyce