BetMGM moves to dismiss Sam A. Anter $29m lawsuit in latest twist

A gambler who accused BetMGM of robbing him of $29m has been charged with theft after allegedly stealing $800,000 from investors as the operator also moved to the dismiss the case.

In September, Sam A. Anter claimed BetMGM’s online casino games, including its online blackjack, frequently disconnected from its servers, wiping out potential winnings.

Antar cited instances where winnings were not accessible until further deposits were made, something which he suggested fuelled his gambling-related harm.

However, it has now transpired that Anter finds himself in the crosshairs of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after allegedly stealing $800,000 from investors in New Jersey and New York.

Anter is reported to have used the six-figure sum to gamble.

In 2019, Anter was arraigned by New Jersey prosecutors and the SEC after being accused of fraud in an investment scheme aimed at financing his gambling addiction.

He eventually pleaded guilty to the charge of second-degree theft by deception.

In the latest twist to the case, lawyers for BetMGM have moved to dismiss Anter’s claim against the company in a bruising riposte.

The firm’s representative, Blank Rome LLP, said Anter was a consistent fraudster and BetMGM was merely the next “attempted mark” in his action plan.

The motion read: “Plaintiff Sam A. Antar is a convicted felon and repeat fraudster who has pled guilty to defrauding numerous individuals out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in false stock investment schemes.

“Now, Antar is orchestrating his latest fraud scheme – this time with BetMGM as his attempted mark.

“Antar intends to take money from BetMGM based upon his false representations in this lawsuit, to repay himself for the court-ordered restitution he must pay to the victims of his fraud crimes, whose money he has taken to repay other victims in a rolling Ponzi scheme,” the motion continued.