SeaWorld class action claims company sent false, deceptive emails

SeaWorld class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: Plaintiff John Gay filed a class action lawsuit against SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Inc.
• Why: Gay claims SeaWorld sent emails that contained misleading subject lines to Washington residents.
• Where: The SeaWorld class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.

A new class action lawsuit alleges that SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment engaged in the unlawful practice of advertising in false and deceptive unsolicited commercial emails, or spam.

Plaintiff John Gay claims SeaWorld sent spam emails with misleading subject lines to consumers, in violation of Washington’s Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA) and Consumer Protection Act.

Gay claims SeaWorld uses tricks and deceptive language in its email subject lines to influence consumer behavior.

For example, Gay says SeaWorld sent emails with the subject line “FINAL DAY to Save on Tickets as Low as $69.99!” on March 1, 2026, to create a sense of urgency and encourage consumers to purchase tickets. In reality, SeaWorld continued to offer tickets at the same price every day since March 1, 2026, according to the SeaWorld class action lawsuit.

“SeaWorld misrepresents the length of time sales will be offered by sending one or more emails stating in the subject line that a sale is being offered for a specific short period, when in fact, the sale lasts longer,” the SeaWorld class action says.

SeaWorld emails allegedly violated Washington CEMA

Gay claims SeaWorld’s emails violated Washington law because they contained false or misleading information in the subject line.

The SeaWorld class action lawsuit argues that the company’s misleading emails are designed to grab consumers’ attention and induce immediate action to secure savings that will not be available beyond a specific window of time.

Gay says SeaWorld sent multiple spam emails with misleading subject lines advertising limited-time offers, including emails sent on Feb. 20, 2026, March 1, 2026, March 8, 2026, and March 15, 2026.

The SeaWorld class action claims the company sent the misleading emails to consumers it knew or should have known were Washington residents.

Gay wants to represent a class of Washington residents who received an email from SeaWorld within the past four years that contained a subject line that mischaracterized the nature of the email or disguised its true commercial purpose.

He seeks an injunction to stop SeaWorld from sending the allegedly misleading emails as well as statutory damages for each illegal email and an award of attorneys’ fees and costs.

In a separate lawsuit, a customer accused SeaWorld of using “bait-and-switch” tactics or hidden fees on its website to mislead consumers about the true price of tickets to its theme parks.

What do you think about the allegations made in this SeaWorld class action lawsuit? Tell us in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Kevin J. Cole of KJC Law Group APC.

The SeaWorld class action lawsuit is Gay v. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Inc., Case No. 3:26-cv-01700-BAS-DEB, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

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