As many smart gamblers know, the casino has a huge advantage when it comes to playing slot machines. But as it turns out, playing slot machines for viewers on social media can lead to some tough results, too.
Blake C. Fitzgerald, 40, of Farmington, Minnesota, was recently arrested by authorities for accepting money from viewers on TikTok and then playing a slot machine with the cash. This eventually led to charges in Scott County for running a bookstore operation remotely.
Thousands of dollars sent to gambling
Fitzgerald received two years’ probation, a $488 fine, and must not engage in similar gambling-related crimes. The sentence doesn’t mean Fitzgerald is out of the woods yet. He also faces a felony charge of instructing others to violate gambling laws and three gross misdemeanor charges in Goodhue County.
If he is convicted of the felony he could go to prison. This fee comes from a similar betting scheme at Treasure Island Casino, which is located in Goodhue County.
Fitzgerald’s brother, Christopher J. L. Matteson, 34, pleaded guilty in Scott County to aiding the gambling operation. He received one year’s probation and a $250 fine.
The authorities claimed that the brothers remained there for at least four months until January 2023 It accepted $48,000 from 81 people To play in casino slots. The operation made money via buy-in fees and a 25% deduction from the betting money. The TikTok account has 165,000 followers.
“Officials at both casinos discovered Fitzgerald’s bookie business on TikTok.” Star Tribune Reports. “On January 12, 2023, he live-streamed about being kicked out of Mystic Lake during a previous visit. That same day, he was in his car outside Treasure Island and said he had just received a permanent trespassing notice.
Gambling and streaming made some news in November when Felix “xQc” Lengyel’s contract with the new Kick service came to light. The live streaming site is backed by the co-founders of gambling platform Stake, and Lengyel has admitted that gambling was part of his $70 million contract.
