Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) Gaming Division has reinstated High 5 Games’ supplier licence following the agreement of a $1.5m settlement.
The regulator had previously suspended High 5’s licence on 14 March over allegations the firm had operated an unlicensed casino, threatening to press over 1,000 criminal charges against the company.
The DCP Gaming Division claimed that High 5 marketed High 5 Casino as a licensed casino and accepted wagers from bettors in the state, including individuals who had signed up for the statewide Voluntary Self-Exclusion List.
The DCP confirmed that High 5 has since ceased operation of its online casino in Connecticut, and its online gaming service provider licence was reinstated on 22 May.
In addition, High 5 has agreed to pay a settlement of almost $1.5m, $643,000 of which will be paid in restitution to 794 users identified by the department who lost money to the casino.
A further $800,000 will contribute to consumer complaint resolution programs, consumer education, consumer protection enforcement and litigation.
“We are pleased that the Connecticut consumers who were lured into placing wagers on an unlicensed platform will be made whole, and that this company has ceased operations of its unlicensed casino in Connecticut,” said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli.
High 5 Casino’s exit from Connecticut continues the firm’s withdrawal from states across the US.
Earlier this year, the firm shut down its sweepstakes casino offering in six states, including Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Western Virginia.
At the time of the suspension, a High 5 Spokesperson told iGaming Expert that it was committed to working with Connecticut’s regulators to resolve the dispute, and the DCP acknowledged in its summary suspension order that it enjoyed “full cooperation in all investigations regarding this matter” from High 5.
“Honour, trust, and legal compliance will always be cornerstones of our business,” said the High 5 spokesperson in March. “We treasure our relationships with all iGaming operators as clients, and we safeguard these relationships with extreme care. We will always continue to work hard to bring the highest value of content to our partners in a reliable, safe way.”
