People v. World Interactive Gaming Corp.

185 Misc. 2d 852, 714 N.Y.S.2d 844, 1999 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 425
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 22, 1999
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 185 Misc. 2d 852 (People v. World Interactive Gaming Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. World Interactive Gaming Corp., 185 Misc. 2d 852, 714 N.Y.S.2d 844, 1999 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 425 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1999).

Opinion

[854]*854OPINION OF THE COURT

Charles Edward Ramos, J.

This proceeding is brought by the Attorney General of the State of New York (the Attorney General or the State of New York), pursuant to Executive Law § 63 (12) and General Business Law article 23-A, to enjoin the respondents, World Interactive Gaming Corporation (WIGC), Golden Chips Casino, Inc. (GCC), and their principals, officers, and directors from operating within or offering to residents of New York State gambling over the Internet. The State also seeks to enjoin respondents from selling unregistered securities in violation of General Business Law § 352 (also known as the Martin Act).

The central issue here is whether the State of New York can enjoin a foreign corporation legally licensed to operate a casino offshore from offering gambling to Internet users in New York. At issue is section 9 (1) of article I of the New York Constitution which contains an express prohibition against any kind of gambling not authorized by the State Legislature. The prohibition represents a deep-rooted policy of the State against unauthorized gambling (Intercontinental Hotels Corp. v Golden, 18 AD2d 45 [1st Dept 1963], revd on other grounds 15 NY2d 9 [1964]).

WIGC is a Delaware corporation that maintains corporate offices in New York. WIGC wholly owns GCC, an Antiguan subsidiary corporation which acquired a license from the government of Antigua to operate a land-based casino. Through contracts executed by WIGC, GCC developed interactive software, and purchased computer servers which were installed in Antigua, to allow users around the world to gamble from their home computers. GCC promoted its casino at its web site, and advertised on the Internet and in a national gambling magazine. The promotion was targeted nationally and was viewed by New York residents.

In February 1998, the Attorney General commenced an investigation into the practices of WIGC. The investigation was prompted by an inquiry from the Texas State Securities Board which informed the Attorney General that WIGC was making unsolicited telephone calls to the public and disseminating offering materials for WIGC’s securities. The petition alleges that respondents were attempting to sell what they termed a “private subscription offering,” which consisted of 700,000 shares of “convertible preferred stock” at a price of $5 per share. The respondent’s primary method of selling units [855]*855of WIGC stock involved cold-calling prospective investors. The prospective investors were located throughout the United States, including New York. Respondents do not dispute that the calls originated from WIGC’s headquarters in Bohemia, New York. At no time was this offering or the cold-calling registered with New York State as required by law.

During telephone solicitation, respondents claimed that investors would earn 20% annual dividend on their investment, 25% profit sharing and an initial public offering (IPO) of WIGC’s stock, which would likely take place within one year. Respondents also compared WIGC’s projected stock price and earnings to that of land-based casinos. Respondents represented the profit margins of other Internet casinos at around 80-85%. Respondents told investors that WIGC would earn an estimate of up to $100,000 in revenue during the first year. Respondents claimed that the investment was conservative.

Together, respondents sold approximately $1,843,665 worth of shares to approximately 114 investors throughout the country, including approximately $125,000 worth of shares to 10 New York State residents.

In June 1998, the Attorney General furthered its investigation by logging onto respondents’ web site, downloading the gambling software, and in July 1998, placed the first of several bets. Users who wished to gamble in the GCC Internet casino were directed to wire money to open a bank account in Antigua and download additional software from GCC’s web site. In opening an account, users were asked to enter their permanent address. A user which submitted a permanent address in a State that permitted land-based gambling, such as Nevada, was granted permission to gamble. Although a user which entered a State such as New York, which does not permit land-based gambling, was denied permission to gamble, because the software does not verify the user’s actual location, a user initially denied access could easily circumvent the denial by changing the State entered to that of Nevada, while remaining physically in New York State. The úser could then log onto the GCC casino and play virtual slots, blackjack or roulette. This raises the question if this constitutes a good-faith effort not to engage in gambling in New York.

The Attorney General commenced this action pursuant to Executive Law § 63 (12) and General Business Law article 23-A. Petitioner seeks: (1) to enjoin respondents from conducting a business within the State of New York until they are properly registered with the Secretary of State to conduct busi[856]*856ness in New York; (2) to enjoin respondents from running any aspect of their Internet gambling business within the State of New York; (3) to be awarded restitution and damages to injured investors; and (4) to be awarded penalties and costs to the State of New York for violations of New York State’s Securities Law (General Business Law § 352, also known as the Martin Act), Federal and State laws prohibiting gambling, and New York State’s Executive Law.

Respondents move to dismiss the petition on the grounds that (1) the Attorney General lacks the authority to bring a proceeding under Executive Law § 63 (12), where a pattern of repeated or persistent fraud or illegal conduct is absent; (2) lack of personal jurisdiction over WIGC and GCC; and (3) lack of subject matter jurisdiction to prosecute alleged violations of the Federal Interstate Wire Act (18 USC § 1084 [a] [Wire Act]), the Interstate and Foreign Travel or Transportation in Aid of Racketeering Enterprising Act (18 USC § 1952 [Travel Act]), and the Interstate Transportation of Wagering and Paraphernalia Act (18 USC § 1953 [Paraphernalia Act]).

Respondents contend that the transactions occurred offshore and that no State or Federal law regulates Internet gambling. They claim that they were operating a duly licensed legitimate business fully authorized by the government of Antigua and in compliance with that country’s rules and regulations of a land-based casino. They further argue that the Federal and State laws upon which the State relies either do not apply to the activities of WIGC or are too vague and ambiguous to criminalize the activity of Internet gambling, when such activity is offshore in Antigua.

Executive Law

Executive Law § 63 (12) authorizes the Attorney General to bring a special proceeding against a person or business committing repeated or persistent fraudulent or illegal acts. Any conduct which violates State or Federal law or regulation is actionable under this provision (see, Matter of State of New York v Ford Motor Co., 74 NY2d 495 [1989]). Under Executive Law § 63 (12), fraud has been interpreted broadly requiring only a showing that the action has a potential to deceive (see, People v Apple Health & Sports Clubs, 206 AD2d 266, 267 [1st Dept 1994]). In order for fraudulent or illegal acts to be actionable under Executive Law § 63 (12), respondents’ activities must be repeated (see, State of New York v Princess Prestige Co., 42 NY2d 104, 107-108 [1977] [finding that Executive Law § 63 [857]

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Bluebook (online)
185 Misc. 2d 852, 714 N.Y.S.2d 844, 1999 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 425, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-world-interactive-gaming-corp-nysupct-1999.