Minnesota Man Sentenced For TikTok Slot Play
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As many savvy gamblers know, the house has a heavy edge when it comes to playing slot machines. But as it turns out, playing slots for viewers on social media can come with some tough results as well.
Blake C. Fitzgerald, 40, of Farmington, Minnesota, was recently busted by authorities for accepting money from viewers on TikTok and then making slot machine spins with the cash. That eventually led to charges in Scott County for running a remote bookmaking operation.
Thousands Of Dollars Sent For Gambling
Fitzgerald received two years’ probation, a fine of $488, 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 counts in Goodhue County.
If convicted of the felony he could be headed to prison. Those charges come from a similar betting scheme at Treasure Island Casino, which is located in Goodhue County.
Fitzgerald’s brother, Christopher J.L. Mattison, 34, already pleaded guilty in Scott County for assisting in the slot operation. He received probation for a year and a $250 fine.
Authorities alleged that for at least four months through January 2023, the brothers accepted $48,000 from 81 people to play at the casinos’ slots. The operation made money via subscription fees and from a 25% cut from the betting funds. The TikTok account had 165,000 followers.
“Administrators at both casinos caught on to Fitzgerald’s TikTok bookie business,” the Star Tribune reports. “On Jan. 12, 2023, he livestreamed 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 been given a permanent trespass notice.”
Gambling and streaming made some news in November when Felix “xQc” Lengyel’s contract with the new Kick service came to light. The streaming site is backed by the co-founders of the Stake gambling platform and Lengyel admitted that gambling was part of his $70 million contract.
