Latest news with #sweepstakes
CBS News
6 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
California-based gaming company operated as illegal gambling business, prosecutors say
Three people who California prosecutors say operated an illegal gambling business online have pleaded guilty in the case. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California and Arizona announced a plea deal Tuesday against SweepsCoach business operators James Mecham, Kurt Stocks and Heidi Edwards. As detailed by prosecutors, the El Dorado Hills-based SweepsCoach business helped set up gaming terminals at internet cafes across Arizona and California. The games played like video slot machines, with players buying credits to play for the chance of possibly winning more credits. The credits could then be exchanged for money at the cafes. Investigators conducted undercover surveillance at the cafes while they were in operation, confirming that SweepsCoach games were being played. In total, investigators found that Mecham, Stocks and Edwards had accumulated $14 million from their illegal gambling games from 2012-2017. Tuesday's plea deal comes after a joint investigation by the IRS, FBI, California Franchise Tax Board, and California Department of Justice Bureau of Gambling Control along with the U.S. Attorney's Office. Mecham, Stocks and Edwards aren't scheduled to be sentenced in the case until October. They all face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine each.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Craig-Hallum Upgrades PLAYSTUDIOS (MYPS), Raises Price Target
On May 23, Craig-Hallum upped PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYPS)'s stock to 'Buy' from 'Hold,' increasing the price objective to $3 from $2. The firm mentioned that PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYPS) continues to covertly test its sweepstakes casino 'The Win Zone' with the help of selected players. As a result, Craig-Hallum managed to get a chance to try this out. The firm is optimistic about the site's future prospects. A close-up view of hands holding a modern gaming device, highlighting the company's mobile games. Craig-Hallum thinks that PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYPS) is a solid competitor to several other popular sweepstakes sites. The company enjoys the benefit of an established database of millions of players throughout the US. It has made strong progress in Q1 2025 on numerous initiatives, which include advancing sweepstakes capabilities, scaling of the direct-to-consumer channel, evolving playAWARDS ecosystem, and developing its new casual title, Tetris Block Party. At the same time, PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYPS)'s reinvention plan continues to drive greater efficiency and focus. The company has been developing sweepstakes promotional capabilities, which are expected to launch externally in limited release in Q2 2025. Furthermore, it plans to scale through H2 2025. PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYPS) develops and publishes free-to-play casual games for mobile and social platforms. While we acknowledge the potential of MYPS to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MYPS and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: and 11 Unstoppable Growth Stocks to Invest in Now Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Craig-Hallum Upgrades PLAYSTUDIOS (MYPS), Raises Price Target
On May 23, Craig-Hallum upped PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYPS)'s stock to 'Buy' from 'Hold,' increasing the price objective to $3 from $2. The firm mentioned that PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYPS) continues to covertly test its sweepstakes casino 'The Win Zone' with the help of selected players. As a result, Craig-Hallum managed to get a chance to try this out. The firm is optimistic about the site's future prospects. A close-up view of hands holding a modern gaming device, highlighting the company's mobile games. Craig-Hallum thinks that PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYPS) is a solid competitor to several other popular sweepstakes sites. The company enjoys the benefit of an established database of millions of players throughout the US. It has made strong progress in Q1 2025 on numerous initiatives, which include advancing sweepstakes capabilities, scaling of the direct-to-consumer channel, evolving playAWARDS ecosystem, and developing its new casual title, Tetris Block Party. At the same time, PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYPS)'s reinvention plan continues to drive greater efficiency and focus. The company has been developing sweepstakes promotional capabilities, which are expected to launch externally in limited release in Q2 2025. Furthermore, it plans to scale through H2 2025. PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYPS) develops and publishes free-to-play casual games for mobile and social platforms. While we acknowledge the potential of MYPS to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MYPS and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: and 11 Unstoppable Growth Stocks to Invest in Now Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Fast Company
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
If you happen to have a tattoo of the Mountain Dew logo, we have some great news for you
The odds of winning the lottery are about one in 300 million. If you have a tattoo of an old Mountain Dew logo on your body, your odds of winning Mountain Dew's new sweepstakes are much, much higher. The soda's owner, PepsiCo, is launching the contest to celebrate Mountain Dew's new logo hitting store shelves. It's asking people who have a tattoo of the old Mountain Dew logo to upload a photo to social media and tag Mountain Dew for a chance to win a trip for two to Las Vegas to get a tattoo of the new logo. Last year, Mountain Dew retired its jagged, abbreviated 'Mtn Dew' logo introduced in 2009 for a new logo that spells out the citrus soda brand's entire name. If the old visual identity was styled in the fashion of Y2K-era extreme sports and gaming, the new one was designed to look modern, outdoorsy, and retro-inspired. The new brand mascot, 'Mountain Dude,' wears long hair, aviators, and a green fur coat to convey its new brand persona. The contest is a bid to promote the rebrand with the drink's most devoted fans: people who love Mountain Dew so much they already made it permanent. Entrants just have to post a photo of their tattoo with the hashtag #DoTheDewTattooSweepstakes on Instagram or X—and no cheating, since tattoos have to be from before May 6, 2025, when the contest began. PepsiCo estimates there are 'hundreds' of people with the old logo, though a cursory search shows just five accounts have posted photos of old Mountain Dew logo tattoos. The contest will award five winners, so if you're a legal U.S. resident of one of the 50 states or Washington, D.C., and at least 21 years old with an old Mountain Dew logo tattoo, you could likely win one of the sweepstakes prizes: round-trip flights for two to Las Vegas, a three-night's stay at the Mandalay Bay luxury resort and casino, and some spending money ($500 for fun and $900 in credits for food and beverage). Who is getting this tattoo? Getting a logo tattoo is a high-commitment act of loyalty to a brand, but companies have found plenty of willing fans to trade their skin for prizes. There were 381 people who agreed to get Domino's logo tattooed on their bodies to win a '100 pizzas a year for 100 years' promotion in Russia in 2019, and Subway awarded as many as nine winners to get tattoos to win free sub sandwiches in 2022. For Mountain Dew, though, it's latest promotion is all about fan service and the love of the game. It's not handing out free cases of soda in return for getting a tattoo like brands have done before. Instead it's rewarding people who already had tattoos of the logo. It's a branding stunt, sure. But it's also a brand heritage play, since it's all about past iterations of the logo. Should winners feel attached to their current Dew tattoo, the sweepstakes fine print is on their side: Instead of getting inked with the new Mountain Dew logo, they can just pocket the $2,000.
Associated Press
12-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Minimum Deposit Casinos Warns of Sweeping Changes as States Crack Down on Online Sweepstakes Casinos
WATERFORD, Ireland, May 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Minimum Deposit Casinos (MDC), a leading global online casino review hub and division of the OneTwenty Group, has released new insights into the tightening regulatory landscape for sweepstakes-based gaming in the United States. Recent moves by lawmakers in New York, Louisiana, and Montana suggest a coordinated push to eliminate or restrict these alternative online gambling models. In New York, Senate Bill 5935, introduced by Sen. Joseph Addabbo, has advanced through the legislative process and targets the operation and supply of sweepstakes-style platforms. The bill specifically addresses platforms that use two forms of digital currency — one of which can be redeemed for real-world prizes — a setup now under scrutiny by state regulators. Meanwhile, Louisiana has taken a similarly hard stance with Senate Bill 181, led by Sen. Adam Bass. The bill aims to ban all forms of sweepstakes games that mimic casino or sports betting experiences, including both the promotion and operation of such services. It passed the state Senate unanimously and is currently being reviewed by the House. Montana could become the first U.S. state to enact a full prohibition if Senate Bill 555 is signed into law. The bill, which has passed both chambers, seeks to clearly define and outlaw the operation of unlicensed sweepstakes gambling websites. 'States are clearly starting to zero in on grey-area gambling models,' said a senior analyst at MDC. 'These bills show how quickly the legal landscape can shift, and it's crucial that players and operators stay ahead of the curve.' About MDC Minimum Deposit Casinos (MDC) is a trusted online portal under the OneTwenty Group. MDC evaluates online casinos worldwide, assessing safety, licensing, game fairness, and payment security before recommending the best options to players. Contact Email: [email protected]
