Techme101.com

The attorney general of Pennsylvania announced on Monday (February 9) that a Schuylkill County novelty game company has admitted guilt in what prosecutors describe as a sweeping illegal gambling operation that reached far beyond its home base. At the center of the case is Deibler Brothers Novelty Company, which authorities say placed and operated hundreds of unlawful video gambling machines across large parts of the state.

In Schuylkill County Common Pleas Court, the company pleaded guilty to corrupt organizations, a first-degree felony. Under the plea agreement, Deibler Brothers was placed on probation and ordered to forfeit $3 million in cash and other assets to the Commonwealth. Officials say the forfeiture is one of the larger penalties tied to Pennsylvania’s enforcement actions against illegal video gaming.

Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that central Pennsylvania-based amusement company Deibler Brothers Novelty Company pleaded guilty to a felony charge regarding installment and operation of hundreds of illegal video gambling devices at bars, convenience stores, and other… pic.twitter.com/0MwLbP1AY5— PA Attorney General Dave Sunday (@PAAttorneyGen) February 9, 2026

Attorney General Dave Sunday said the company ignored repeated warnings before charges were filed. “This company was warned time and time again, and continued to snub its nose at state regulations by flooding Pennsylvania counties with illegal gambling machines,” Sunday said. He added, “this plea resolution secures a substantial forfeiture of assets to the Commonwealth, and is the second conviction in recent days against offenders contributing to the disorganized environment of illegal video gaming in Pennsylvania.”

Investigators describe the case as the result of a multi-year effort involving Pennsylvania State Police, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. According to authorities, the machines were marketed in ways that suggested they were legal, even though they were not. They were placed in bars, convenience stores, and other small businesses across more than a dozen counties, often creating confusion for both operators and customers about what state law actually allows.

Former Pace-O-Matic executive allegedly linked to Pennsylvania novelty game company

Rick Goodling demonstrates Pace-O-Matic gaming machines during a 2020 segment for local Fox affiliate WJAC-TV News.

Prosecutors also pointed to connections between Deibler Brothers and figures already under federal scrutiny. Owners of Deibler Brothers Novelty, Arthur Deibler, Donald Deibler, and Joel Ney, were affiliated with Rick Goodling, a retired Pennsylvania State Police corporal and former Director of National Compliance for Pace-O-Matic. Goodling pleaded guilty last week to money laundering, adding further context to the state’s case against the novelty game company.

Mechanicsburg Man Pleads Guilty To Tax Evasion@IRS_CI @FBIPhiladelphia @PAStatePolice https://t.co/rk2AV5Q4DY— U.S. Attorney MDPA (@MDPAnews) February 3, 2026

Goodling previously served as a compliance officer for Atlanta-based Pace-O-Matic, a major supplier of so-called skill games. Federal authorities say that from 2019 through 2022, he concealed taxable income by mislabeling cash payments from gaming operators as business travel expenses. Prosecutors allege those payments were made in exchange for allowing continued use of Pace-O-Matic machines outside company rules. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the conduct resulted in “a tax loss of over $100,000 to the United States.”

Goodling, who is a retired Pennsylvania State Police corporal, now faces up to five years in federal prison. His case was investigated by the IRS, FBI, and state police. As recently as 2023, Goodling had publicly defended skill games as legal, arguing they rely on player ability rather than chance.

The cases point to a broader push by state and federal authorities to rein in illegal gambling activity. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has also increased enforcement, recently adding 22 people to its involuntary exclusion lists. The individuals are now barred from casinos, video gaming terminals, and regulated online platforms.

Featured image: Screenshot from Deibler Brothers Novelty Company
The post Pennsylvania novelty game company pleads guilty in sweeping illegal gambling case appeared first on ReadWrite.

After the San Pablo Lytton Casino called the police on a banned casino guest, the individual later died in police custody.

The California-based San Pablo Lytton Casino called the San Pablo Police Department at 10.44pm on Saturday, February 7, to report a banned casino guest who was refusing to leave the property. According to a report shared to Facebook by the police department, casino security staff told dispatchers before the officers arrived at the scene that the individual was physically resisting.

Casino security staff members handcuffed and detained the banned individual, a 70-year-old from El Cerrito, before San Pablo Police Department officers arrived. When the officers arrived on the scene, he was taken into police custody for trespassing and taken to the county jail. The police report notes that “there was no use of force by San Pablo PD officers to effect the arrest.”

“While at the jail, the individual experienced an unknown medical emergency,” continues the report. “Jail personnel and Contra Costa Fire Protection District staff immediately rendered medical aid and transported the individual to a local hospital. Despite lifesaving efforts, the individual was later pronounced deceased.”

An investigation is still ongoing

The death in police custody has triggered a joint investigation between the San Pablo Police Department and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, in accordance with Contra Costa County protocol. The individual’s identity is being kept anonymous until the next of kin can be notified.

“This incident remains an active investigation,” concludes the police report. “Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the San Pablo Police Department at (510) 215-315.”

Christopher Andalis, 45, takes off from @VallejoPd, hops onto I-80 & tries to roll the dice by hiding in San Pablo Lytton Casino, per @CHP_GoldenGate & @CHP_ContraCosta. Busted for wrong-way evading, drug possession & parole violation, proving escape wasn’t in the cards pic.twitter.com/0DLiQIrslk— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) February 9, 2025

A separate and unrelated incident involving the casino occurred in February 2025. Convicted felon Christopher Andalis, 45, was arrested after allegedly evading police in a Chevy Tahoe before attempting to hide inside San Pablo Lytton Casino. Authorities reported that Andalis was found with approximately 23 grams of suspected methamphetamine packaged for sale.

The pursuit was monitored from above by California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division helicopter H-30, with assistance from Vallejo Police Department. Officials have not indicated any connection between that 2025 arrest and the current in-custody death under investigation.

Featured image: Google Maps
The post Banned San Pablo Lytton Casino guest dies in police custody appeared first on ReadWrite.

New research from the University of Sheffield suggests that existing UK gambling ad rules may not go far enough to protect soccer fans and vulnerable viewers from gambling ads and increased betting, especially as attention builds ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The study, published in Addictive Behaviors Reports and titled “The effect of television advertising on gambling behaviour: a quasi-experimental study during the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup,” analyzed betting behaviour among 365 men aged 18–45 in England during the 2022 tournament.

According to the paper’s abstract, “Frequency of betting on football was 16% to 24% higher during games televised on a channel with gambling advertising compared to one without.” It also found that “participants were 22% to 33% more likely to place a soccer bet during games that contained television gambling advertising.”

The quasi-experimental study found that even with industry-led safeguards in place, such as the voluntary “whistle-to-whistle” ban designed to limit exposure during live matches, televised gambling ads were still closely linked to higher levels of betting activity.

Researchers say gambling ads are ‘powerful triggers’ for soccer betting

According to lead author Ellen McGrane, a research associate at the University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health, the results were striking, particularly given that current restrictions are meant to reduce exactly this kind of impact. “These television adverts may be acting as powerful triggers during live games, encouraging betting even among people who had no prior intention to gamble. One of our key findings was that this advertising doesn’t simply shift people between betting platforms, it increases the overall amount of gambling taking place,” she said in a release.

McGrane and her co-authors also warned that when gambling participation increases across the population, gambling-related harm tends to rise with it. They argue that the connection raises serious questions about whether current advertising protections are really doing enough, particularly with viewing figures expected to surge around the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A study from the University of Bristol also found that fans were exposed to more than 5,000 gambling messages during a single Premier League match, despite a ban on in-play advertising. Across one weekend of fixtures, more than 27,000 such messages were recorded, pointing out just how difficult gambling content is for viewers to avoid.

The report concluded that existing self-regulatory policies have “clearly failed in reducing the volume of gambling marketing during football matches,” raising concerns about the effectiveness of voluntary industry codes.

Families just want to watch a tournament, not run the risk of being lured into addiction.This year’s @FIFAWorldCup must end the gambling ads.https://t.co/HoG8qqdtYI pic.twitter.com/VO58BPfbH3— Coalition to End Gambling Ads (@EndGamblingAds) February 9, 2026

Industry groups, including the Betting and Gaming Council, maintain that gambling advertising by licensed operators is on the decline and that existing safeguards such as age-gating and responsible gambling messages are doing enough. Recent figures appear to support that view, showing a year-on-year drop in overall gambling advertising spend on UK television.

Campaigners and public health experts, however, argue that lower overall spend does not automatically mean lower exposure, such as during live sport, where gambling advertising is still heavily concentrated and highly visible to children and vulnerable adults.

Featured image: Canva
The post Study warns gambling ads drove soccer betting during 2022 World Cup despite UK safeguards appeared first on ReadWrite.

Kalshi users have been left outraged after a decision from the prediction market regarding Cardi B’s Super Bowl appearance.

At least one Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has reportedly been filed after Kalshi’s controversial Super Bowl LX decision. Prediction market expert Dustin Gouker has shared that at least one person has filed a formal complaint to the CFTC. This may spark a review by the CFTC and possibly further investigation and penalties if deemed necessary.

Depending on which prediction market was used, those who wagered on Cardi B making an appearance at the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show have had different outcomes. Polymarket settled the event contract in favor of those who bet that she would appear, but fellow prediction market Kalshi has invoked Rule 6.3 to only issue a partial settlement.

This has triggered both outrage on social media and the formal complaint to the CFTC. Kalshi has cited ambiguity over whether Cardi B only appearing to dance qualifies as a performance, or whether she needed to actually sing.

Kalshi’s controversial partial settlement on whether Cardi B “performed” at the Super Bowl LX halftime show has sparked user backlash and a formal complaint to the CFTC. Credit: Kalshi

“Due to ambiguity over whether or not Cardi B’s attendance at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show constituted a qualifying ‘performance’, Kalshi is invoking Rule 6.3(c) to settle this market to the last traded price before trading was paused,” reads a statement from Kalshi on its website. “Those prices are $0.26 for Yes holders and $0.74 for No holders. Conversely, per Kalshi’s full rules, celebrities that danced in the background during the halftime show but did not visibly sing or play an instrument did not ‘perform’ for purposes of the contract.”

Kalshi’s official notice outlining its Rule 6.3(c) decision to partially settle the Cardi B Super Bowl market amid performance ambiguity. Credit: Kalshi

A partial settlement has been issued to users at $0.26 for “Yes” and $0.74 for “No”, meaning it’s effectively a refund rather than a full payout.

Reactions to the Cardi B decision from Kalshi

Others have taken to social media to criticize the decision from Kalshi, with one user calling the move “disgusting”.

“Kalshi settling Cardi B as not performing (despite clearly meeting all three requirements) is just more proof that they are scumbags who settle based on their own personal interest,” wrote X user EV Massachusetts. “They settled Karol G and Cardi B differently despite them doing the exact same thing. Disgusting.”

.@Kalshi settling Cardi b as not performing (despite clearly meeting all 3 requirements) is just more proof that they are scumbags who settle based on their own personal interest. They settled Karol g and cardi b differently despite them doing the exact same thing. Disgusting— +EV Massachusetts (@EvMassachusetts) February 9, 2026

Readwrite has reached out to the CFTC for further comment.

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
The post CFTC complaint filed after Kalshi’s Cardi B Super Bowl event decision – report appeared first on ReadWrite.