Hard Rock Digital Sued In Florida Over No Regret First Bet Promo
Hard Rock Digital is facing a lawsuit in Florida over the No Regret First Bet promo on the Hard Rock Bet app. Brandon Montgomery, a Florida sports bettor, argues that the promotion is misleading and is suing for fraud. The plaintiff is arguing that the bonus bets granted from the promotion do not work the same as a cash wager, which the advertising has not specified.
Hard Rock Lawsuit In Florida
The lawsuit was filed on May 2, 2024, in Tampa’s Florida Middle District Court. In the complaint, the plaintiff argues that the promo claims to provide risk-free wagers for new users. However, since a real-money cash wager is a condition for claiming the promo, it is false advertising.
The lawsuit also focuses on the false equivalence between bonus bets and cash wagers. Users cannot withdraw bonus bets and must use them to wager. Additionally, wagers that use bonus bets do not pay the same as cash wagers. A standard cash wager returns the initial stake as well as the profit from a winning bet. For example, betting $100 at +100 pays $200 on a win. However, using a $100 bonus bet instead only pays the $100 profit.
“New user losers are left with nothing but regret and half of the value they put into the app.”
Montgomery v. Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC
The lawsuit is filed under Florida Statute Chapter 501, the Consumer Protection Act. Montgomery’s attorney alleges a scheme to lore new users in with false advertising on the side of Hard Rock. If the bet is “free,” there is a more likely outcome of patrons partaking in higher wagers that have more risk.
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Risk-Free Language Removed From Most Sportsbooks
This lawsuit is reminiscent of cases against DraftKings. In April, users filed a lawsuit against DraftKings over its use of risk-free language in promotions in New York. The class action lawsuit in the Southern District of New York accused the sportsbook giant of deception in its advertising.
The sports betting industry has mostly eliminated the use of risk-free terminology. The American Gaming Association updated its responsible marketing code, encouraging sportsbooks not to use such terms. Massachusetts, Maryland, and Kentucky have also passed laws barring the use of these terms in their regulations. This most recent lawsuit involving Hard Rock is yet another example against the use of risk-free terms.
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