unlawfulcharges.comWhat High 5 Casino actually is
High 5 Casino runs two currencies side by side, and the difference between them is what they contend makes it lawful.
Game Coins are the play currency. You can buy them with real money. They carry no cash value and never come back out.
Sweeps Coins are the prize currency. High 5 does not sell them. They arrive free alongside Game Coin purchases, or through a free entry route the site advertises as "no purchase necessary." Sweeps Coins are the ones that can be redeemed — the site tells players the Grand Jackpot can be redeemed for real prizes, and displays live Sweeps Coin jackpot totals in the tens of thousands.
Around that sits the machinery of a casino floor. Free coins every four hours. Jackpots that drop hourly and daily. "Boosts on Demand" triggered with a third currency called Diamonds. The site compares what it calls its "industry leading 96% RTP" — return to player, a slot-machine statistic — against other social casinos.
"No purchase necessary" is doing the legal work
Gambling, under most state laws, has three parts: a prize, awarded by chance, in exchange for something the player gave up to enter. Remove any one of the three and it is not gambling.
Sweepstakes casinos are built to remove the third one. That is what "no purchase necessary" is for. Because a free way to get Sweeps Coins exists, the argument runs, nobody paid for a chance at the prize, and the prize currency is a promotion rather than a wager.
The allegation is that the free route is real on paper and beside the point in practice. Players overwhelmingly obtain Sweeps Coins by buying Game Coin packages, not by using the free method. If that is right, players did pay for their chance to win, all three parts are present, and High 5 has been operating unlicensed online gambling in states that do not license it.
The site's own framing cuts against it here. A platform that advertises a 96% return-to-player figure and a jackpot dropping every hour is describing a casino, not a promotional sweepstakes.
Where you played decides whether you have a claim
High 5 does not offer Sweeps Play everywhere. By its own published notice, Sweeps Play is unavailable in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia. Everywhere else in the United States, it is open for business.
That list is worth reading closely, because the company drew it rather than a regulator. Several of the states on it are the ones with the oldest and most generous laws allowing a player to sue to recover money lost to unlawful gambling.
Many states still have those laws. They were written long before anyone played slots on a phone, and they were drafted broadly — what they generally ask is whether the gambling was licensed where the player was, not what technology it ran on. Some allow a player to recover the full amount lost. Some allow more than that. Alongside them, every state has a consumer-protection law that reaches a business telling customers a product is lawful when it may not be.
Which of those applies to you depends on the state you played from.
What records help, and who may qualify
A loss-recovery claim is proved with purchase records, and this is one of the rare consumer claims where the documentation is straightforward to get.
- Your coin purchase history on the High 5 account.
- Card or bank statements showing the charges. These often matter most, because they sit outside the platform and cannot be changed by it.
- Redemption records — what you took back out, and when. Net loss is the usual measure, so withdrawals count as much as purchases.
- The state you played from, which decides which law governs your claim.
If you bought coins through an app store, the receipts are already sitting in your email and the full purchase history is a few taps away.
You may qualify if you bought coins with real money on High 5 Casino and lost money doing it, in a state where this kind of online casino gambling is not licensed. There is no minimum loss to have a claim reviewed.
High 5 is still operating
This is not a historical investigation. As of October 1, 2026, high5casino.com is live, registration is open, the jackpots are running and the referral program is active.
That matters twice over. It means the conduct under investigation is current rather than something the company stopped years ago. And it means players are putting money in today who are in the same position as the ones already coming forward.
Maginnis Howard represents consumers nationwide. These claims are filed as individual arbitrations — your claim is pursued in your own name rather than folded into a group case, and we handle the filing and the paperwork. There is no cost to have your losses reviewed, and no fee unless we recover for you.
The legal basis
Why this may be illegal
High 5 Casino sells Game Coins for real money and hands out Sweeps Coins alongside them that can be redeemed for real prizes. Players say that is online casino gambling, offered under a sweepstakes label in states that never licensed it. Many states let a person recover money they lost to gambling that was not authorized where they live, and state consumer protection laws reach a business that sells an unlawful service as a lawful one. Maginnis Howard is investigating how High 5 Casino sells its coin packages and what players have lost on them.
The law
Many states allow a person to recover money they lost to gambling that was never licensed or authorized in their state. Separately, state consumer protection laws reach a business that markets a service as lawful when it is not. Whether a claim is available, and what can be recovered, depends on the state where the player lives — some states allow recovery of the full amount lost, and some allow more.
What you could recover
Depending on the state where you live, you may be able to recover the money you lost — in some states the full amount, and in some states more than that. State consumer protection laws may add damages set by law, and can require the company to return money it took unlawfully, pay attorney fees, and change how it operates.
How your claim would be handled
Claims like this are handled as individual arbitration cases — private proceedings, no courtroom. For High 5 Entertainment, LLC (High 5 Casino), cases are typically administered through JAMS.
Think you're affected? Check if you qualify and sign up in about two minutes — no upfront cost.
Check if you qualifyFrequently asked questions
What is this investigation about?
High 5 Casino sells Game Coins for real money and gives out Sweeps Coins alongside them that can be redeemed for real prizes. We are investigating whether that is unlicensed online casino gambling in states that never authorized it, and whether the way it is marketed misleads players about its legality.
High 5 says "no purchase necessary." Does that matter?
The free-entry route does not by itself settle the question. What matters for your claim is whether you actually put real money in and lost it. If you bought Game Coin packages, you should have your situation reviewed.
Does it matter which state I live in?
Yes, and it is the single biggest factor. These claims are brought under state law, and the states differ on whether a player can recover gambling losses and on how much. We confirm your state with you when we review your claim, and tell you where you stand.
How is my claim filed?
These claims are filed as individual arbitrations. Your claim is pursued in your own name rather than folded into a group case. We handle the filing and the paperwork for you.
I do not have records of what I spent. Can I still sign up?
Yes. Give us your best estimate and the email address on your account. If you bought through an app store, your receipts are likely already in your email, and purchase history is something we can work on obtaining as the claim develops.
What does this cost me?
Nothing upfront. We are paid a percentage only if we recover money for you.
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