Brigette Honaker  |  March 3, 2021

Category: Legal News

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

Wizard of Oz social app

(Photo Credit: sharafmaksumov/Depositphotos)

Zynga was recently hit with a class action lawsuit in California challenging its free-to-play casino slot games after a man lost $8,000 playing the games.

Plaintiff Michael Owens says he and other consumers lost a significant amount of money through in-app purchases on Zynga’s casino slot games. The mobile app developer allegedly takes advantage of consumers with deceptive representations and violates California law with its “illegal” gambling scheme.

Owens allegedly started to play Zynga’s Wizard of Oz Slots in May 2020. By January 2021, Owens says, he spent over $8,000 purchasing in-game currency through the Google Play store. With this currency, Owens was able to make more bets and play more; he says he lost all of the in-game currency he purchased.

Owns says countless other consumers may have also faced significant losses due to Zynga casino slot games. Unfortunately, some consumers may feel powerless when it comes to quitting these games despite suffering monetary damages. According to Owens, Zynga’s game design plays into the same trends used by casinos to keep players addicted and spending money.

“Moreover, these games utilize the same psychological tricks that casinos and physical slot machines use to cause users to become addicted,” Owens contends in his Zynga casino slot games class action lawsuit.

“This keeps users playing — and spending. And the virtual platform only increases the opportunities to capitalize on the addictive tendencies of users.”

Specifically, the design of Zynga casino slot games allegedly deceives consumers into believing they can win big based on skill.

However, outcomes of these games are instead based on chance, Owens argues, meaning consumers are at the mercy of a random number generator.

According to Owens’ class action lawsuit, Zynga casino slot games violate California gambling laws due to their in-app purchases.

The currency purchased through in-app microtransactions is allegedly used exclusively for gambling. Because this currency is purchased with real money and used in wagers while playing the games, Owens contends the games count as real gambling.

Although gambling apps have previously skirted gambling laws by not providing monetary prizes, the plaintiff contends that Zynga violates California’s Unfair Competition Law with their gambling scheme.

“Based on Zynga’s marketing and representations regarding the Zynga Social Slots Games, including the above statement, Plaintiff believed that Wizard of Oz Slots was a legal video game, not an illegal slot machine,” the Zynga casino app class action lawsuit contends.

“Plaintiff would not have spent money at Wizard of Oz Slots if, before downloading and playing the game, Plaintiff had known that it and its virtual slot machines were illegal slot machines under California law.”

Owens seeks to represent a Class of consumers who purchased in-game currency and used the purchased “coins” to play Zynga social slot games, including:

  • Hit It Rich!
  • Black Diamond Casino
  • Wizard of Oz Slots
  • Willy Wonka Slots
  • Game of Thrones Slots Casino
  • Princess Bride Slots (discontinued)
  • Slots – Riches of Olympus (discontinued)
  • Spin It Rich! Free Casino Slots (discontinued)

On behalf of the proposed Class, Owens seeks restitution, disgorgement, damages, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

The Zynga Casino Slot Games Class Action Lawsuit is Michael Owens, et al. v. Zynga Inc., Case No. 3:21-cv-01427, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

49 thoughts onMan Lost $8K Playing Wizard of Oz Slots App Game, Class Action Says

  1. Linda Nutting says:

    I too have lost thousands of real dollars on this game. I have watched my fake money literally disappear right along with my real money. The programming is terrible. I am a widowed senior and have played and loved this game for at least 15 years but until Covid, never spent a dime of real money on it. Covid was so hard on me being alone, that I really needed the escape, but it sure cost me big! I would love to join in a class action lawsuit. I must be close to having lost $10,000 real dollars since Covid started. And many of my purchases were on credit cards, so there’s the interest too! I actually went to my bank to ask if they could block me from being able to purchase from facebook in general. They can NOT. I am on facebook only for this. I have no facebook friends, because of the ridiculous way it has warped into horrible people saying and doing horrible things. They get you addicted and then never let you win. I also play Jigsaw World here on facebook and have spent money there, less than a $150, but at least I get puzzles from them and can play them for free over and over again if I want to without it costing me more money.

  2. Dawn Veek says:

    I have played Wizard of Oz Match quit spending when I discovered they are ripping off players, making points vanish and refusing to replace them I have so many screen shot of their unlawful tactics. For this entire last week I had 3734 bazaar point they made vanish and refused to put them I still have all the screen shots, I screen shot it all. They tried to lie 2 times and said the bazaar had ended. Added screen shots to prove they lied. One support person said the game is different for every player. When I asked what that meant they refused to answer. They need to be stopped from ripping players off. I made it to the top tier 3 times to have point vanished. For a long time they weren’t keeping up with levels. They alway try to blame your internet connection. The excuse they use to rip you off. I have 5G high speed net. They are manipulating their game to try to get you keep spending. Everyone who has played should get every penny back they have spent.

  3. Nancy Steele says:

    How do you join the class action lawsuit

    1. TIFFANY BOWERS says:

      I’ve lost thousands to Zynga

      1. Jessica says:

        I have lost thousands as well since June of last year. How do I join a class action law suit against Zynga. They definitely take advantage of their players. :-(

  4. LaDawna Baugh says:

    Is there ever going to be a payout? I actually submitted a claim form with Zynga. I’m a Washington resident and I haven’t heard boo from any attorneys or Zynga regarding this.

  5. Lec LOEB says:

    A friend lost more than $7000 playing the Zynga Wizard of Oz game and some other like it. That was all but $1000 of his life savings. He has a gambling problem. But this I find unbelievable . He previously went bankrupt and then with a first or second new credit card this happens. Very sad. He is no “whale” just over his head to play a game. He missed his chance to join the class action lawsuit. I really don’t think he understood that paying seven thousand real dollars to Win worthless in game dollars in the hundreds of millions and billions is just beyond what a person on disability income can afford. Makes no sense. I would never have given zynga my credit card number. Disabled people are being exploited with gross massive over charging like this . I think I should write to the consumer protection people in our state and in DC. Charged $7000 in kess than a year to play a simulation casino game is absurd. He had more chance of spending that in an online casino and playing loner or having some tiny chance of a real cash jackpot

  6. Stephen I adams says:

    Add me

1 3 4 5

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. By submitting your comment and contact information, you agree to receive marketing emails from Top Class Actions regarding this and/or similar lawsuits or settlements, and/or to be contacted by an attorney or law firm to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you if you qualify. Required fields are marked *

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.