TikTok Streamer Charged With Illegal Gambling in Minnesota
The Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED) of Minnesota uncovered what struck as an innovative, albeit questionable, live-streaming scheme this past January. It was linked to both the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and the Treasure Island Resort & Casino and a TikTok personality, who now faces charges.
The Minnesota police have confirmed that they have arrested Blake Carl Fitzgerald. State officials detained the 40-year-old individual on Friday, and he now faces three counts of operating an unlawful gambling business. However, although there seems to be sufficient evidence for authorities to have sustained his arrest, the context of the crime stands as particular.
Fitzgerald’s seven-month period of freedom indicates the rarity of the crime. The American Gaming Association and AGED acknowledged they had never heard of a similar infraction and must analyze the case in more detail.
Fitzgerald began to livestream himself, placing bets on the slot machines in the two Twin Cities casinos. According to official court documents, he allegedly employed two social media platforms for his scheme. These were identified to be TikTok and Discord.
The documents state that Fitzgerald live-streamed himself wagering in the casinos under the direction of his subscribers’ requests. In other words, subscribers paid for the live stream and could fund Fitzgerald’s live gaming show.
The records further define the specific amounts that Fitzgerald earned during his social media stunt. Between October and December 2022, subscribers allegedly transferred a total that surpassed $65,000 through Venmo and CashApp payments.
Fitzgerald also defined these payments under very particular categories. The accused called the sums of the transfers “donations,” which his subscribers intentionally opted to provide.
The court documents also revealed that Fitzgerald set a $5.99 price per subscription for all users who wished to follow his content. Users who wanted to renew their subscription would then be subject to an additional charge of $5.99.
As to the specifics of the gaming dynamic, Fitzgerald would, at the latest, keep more than half of all the money that was transferred to him. Yet, if he ran out of time to place a hand for one of his subscribers, he would refund the user’s deposit. Now, he could face up to three years in prison.
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