Contractor defrauds neighbours of $400,000 to fund gambling trips

A man from Smith County, Texas, has been subject to an affidavit for allegedly defrauding his neighbours of $400,000 to fund his personal life, including gambling trips.
Brian Christopher Glass of Bullard was hired by the couple next door to renovate their home after lightning rendered their property a devastated wreck. His company, Glass Limitless Homes and Design, received the lion’s share of the payment to cover the environmental damage.
After months of dereliction and the couple hiring a private investigator, Glass now finds himself in the custody of the Smith County Police Department with a substantial bond for his alleged actions.
Contractor uses property payment to fund casino trips
Initially, the couple, who have not been named in the report from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, had been attempting to recover their family home after the force of nature caused the damage.
Looking to their neighbour next door, Glass, who had his own company, they placed their trust in his experience. The couple, after a series of concerns, hired a private investigator and then alerted the authorities.
The Smith County Sheriff’s Office said, “Between April 2024 and July 2024, Glass was paid over $500,000 by the homeowners for the construction.”
This was the result of an investigation that led to the arrest of Glass, and it found that he had traveled to Louisiana and Oklahoma for gambling at casino resorts. He reportedly took half a million dollars from the couple, and the $400,000 was used to fund this lifestyle.
“Around July 2024, the victims learned that the subcontractors had quit working due to not being paid by Glass. When the homeowners contacted Glass, he informed them that he needed more money above and beyond the agreed construction price in the signed contract,” said the police report.
The couple attempted to complete the home by paying the subcontractors and businesses that had not received any money from Glass.
Leaving them in financial jeopardy, while Glass did not take responsibility for the situation or the possible threat of fraudulent behavior, despite having entered into a signed contract to complete the renovations.
Glass on $250,000 bond
Glass has been charged with misapplication of fiduciary property and has been placed on a $250,000 bond while in custody at Smith County Jail.
The Smith County Sheriff was vocal about trusting businesses in a corresponding statement, saying, “Always remember, there are many people out there who would like to separate you from your hard-earned money. These might even be people you know and trust. Don’t learn the hard way.”
Featured image: Canva.
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Apple, Google, and Meta face court cases for gambling app benefits

Three of the world’s largest global names, Apple, Google, and Meta, are embroiled in court action for allegedly profiting from gambling-style apps on their respective digital platforms.
As reported by Reuters, the trident is pushing for the action against them to be thrown out, but the presiding U.S. District Judge Edward Davila in San Jose, California, refuted their claims.
Apple, Google, and Meta all face court action
The three companies argued that they are exempt from legal responsibilities, based on a portion of the Federal Communications Decency Act, specifically Section 230.
This piece of legislation has been used in court cases to establish the party responsible for the legal ownership as the sole responsible party for any subsequent red tape. However, according to the statute, there are still “responsibilities” that must be taken into account for the likes of the three major brands.
Judge Davila did not entirely accept their argument as legitimate, as Section 230 states that even if another person provides the solution/information, then it does not prevent the party that facilitates it from being held legally responsible for information that they “have developed or for activities unrelated to third-party content.”
Reuters acknowledged that there were multiple plaintiffs in the thirty-seven-page decision that argued that the risks and the pitfalls of these forms of gambling posed to them as an addictive “Vegas-style experience” of slot machine gambling.
As we previously covered, Apple and Google faced a complaint alleging that their actions constituted a breach of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).
Gambling apps risk harming, argue plaintiffs
The news report on the case stated that the motion by the plaintiffs argued that suicide and financial harm were routinely caused as a result of the lack of responsibility taken by the three.
The statement focused on the role that the companies played in facilitating these games, and “brokering and collecting 30% commissions – estimated at more than $2 billion – on transactions they processed.”
The three were given names like “bookies,” according to the report, but Judge Davilla did not support this claim by the plaintiffs.
He did, however, state that “The crux of plaintiffs’ theory is that defendants improperly processed payments for social casino apps. It is beside the point whether that activity turns defendants into bookies or brokers.”
The decision by Judge Davila stands, but he mentioned that all three parties have the right to contest this in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals immediately.
Featured image: Canva.
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FanDuel partners with Amazon Prime for NBA and WNBA

Sportsbook and betting giant FanDuel has announced a partnership with Amazon’s Prime streaming service to become the official odds provider for the NBA and WNBA.
The news marks a landmark win for the North American betting heavyweight on the eve of the new season, which starts on 21 October.
Blake Griffin, the former six-time NBA All-Star, 2011 Rookie of the Year, and dunk contest winner, will lead the broadcast coverage.
FanDuel and Amazon Prime team up for 2026 season
Reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC), spearheaded by Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, last season’s MVP, take on league legend Kevin Durant’s newest basketball home in the form of the Houston Rockets.
FanDuel will be gearing up to promote the season opener on Prime, and this will be a test of the current champions against the betting world’s next hotly tipped team to take the league and championships under the watchful eye of mercurial coach Ime Udoka.

Big news: FanDuel x Amazon @FanDuel is now the exclusive odds provider & official partner of @NBA + @WNBA on @PrimeVideo .
This multi-year deal brings live bet tracking, Odds View, and compelling in-game narratives – plus @blakegriffin23 as a new FanDuel NBA ambassador… pic.twitter.com/0knpZJx7lz
— Flutter Entertainment (@FlutterEnt) September 30, 2025

Mike Raffensperger, President of Sports at FanDuel, said of the deal, “By integrating custom content into Prime Video’s NBA broadcasts, we will enhance the fan viewing experience and connect with new audiences.”
NBA and WBNA figures on the rise
This new audience Raffensperger refers to can be easily seen as a leap in FanDuels’ exposure by some measure. According to the official NBA viewership statistics, seventy-five million people tuned in to watch OKC win the championships against Tyrese Haliburton’s injury-hit Indiana Pacers.
This statistic alone, a 16% increase over the previous year’s final viewership numbers, made ABC and the NBA’s biggest prime-time event, and the basketball competition’s most prominent viewership figures in six years.
So FanDuel’s brand, which was already a leader in the betting industry, has leaped to a considerably new height with the Prime deal’s advertising potential.
“It’s important to partner with brands that are invested in enhancing the fan experience. We’re helping to transform how brands reach highly engaged consumers”, said Danielle Carney, Head of U.S. Video and Live Sports Sales, Amazon Ads.
The post-season, which is one of the biggest and most anticipated sporting gauntlets for basketball fans, was broadcast officially in North America on ABC and ESPN.
Across the competition, an average of 6.13 million viewers tuned in, representing a 10% increase in viewership compared to the previous season. The WNBA experienced a similar surge, averaging 1.3 million viewers per game, with 2.7 million taking in the contest between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky.
Caitlin Clark has been a leading light for the WNBA as the figurehead of the Indiana Fever’s growing brand, and as we reported, is already a contender to be the league’s best-ever creative player.
Prime is also broadcast globally, and the figures were particularly positive, with five billion fans watching the action worldwide. “Our partnership as the official odds provider for NBA and WNBA on Prime Video represents a significant milestone in how we connect with basketball fans,” said Raffensperger.
Considering the 215% overall increase for the NBA and WNBA across social media, this could be a lucrative goldmine for FanDuel to reach such an established and growing global audience.
Featured image: FanDuel.
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Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino confirms it’ll reopen on Friday after shooting killed two

A Texas-based casino, called Kickapoo Lucky Eagle, has announced they will soon be reopening to guests following a shooting which killed two people and injured five.
The casino will reopen on Friday, October 3, almost a week after a man opened fire. The man initially fled the scene, according to KSAT, but was apprehended hours later in Wilson County. He was then extradited to Maverick County, which is where Eagle Pass is located (where the casino is based).
On Monday, the casino took to social media to address the tragic events and announced the venue would remain temporarily closed.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic events that occurred at Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino this weekend. Our deepest condolences go out to the victims, their families, and all those affected.
“Out of respect for those impacted and to allow authorities to continue their investigation, the casino will remain temporarily closed. We will share updates as they become available.”
Many people in the comments online have left their condolences to the families and people affected, with over 600 comments left on the initial post.
Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino has confirmed that both the hotel and casino will be open
The KSAT report says that Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber told their journalist on Monday that the man’s bond totals $4.5 million per capital murder charge, and $300,000 per aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge.
Yesterday, October 1, the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino announced it would reopen later this week: “We will reopen to guests on Friday, October 3, at 10:00 a.m.
“As we reopen, we are committed to supporting our team, our guests, and are grateful for the strength of our community. We look forward to seeing everyone.”
The business confirmed in a comment to someone asking for clarification that both the casino and the hotel will be back open later this week.
Featured Image: Credit to J.R.Ramos on Wikimedia Commons
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Microsoft Launches Security Store to Unify AI-Powered Defense Tools

Developers can sell security solutions and agents that work with Microsoft security products, including the Copilot AI.
The post Microsoft Launches Security Store to Unify AI-Powered Defense Tools appeared first on TechRepublic.

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Microsoft Announces Major Reorganization to Navigate ‘Tectonic AI Platform Shift’

Microsoft is overhauling its business to speed AI growth by uniting sales, marketing, and operations under Judson Althoff to tighten execution and feedback.
The post Microsoft Announces Major Reorganization to Navigate ‘Tectonic AI Platform Shift’ appeared first on TechRepublic.

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Department of Energy cancels $7.5B of clean energy projects in mostly blue states

The Trump administration canceled over 300 awards related to clean energy on October 1. The states most affected by the cuts voted for Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

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Anthropic hires new CTO with focus on AI infrastructure

As part of the change, Anthropic is updating the structure of its core technical group, bringing the company’s product-engineering team into closer contact with the infrastructure and inference teams.

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Amazon faces FAA, NTSB probe after two delivery drones crashed into crane in Arizona

The drones sustained “substantial” damage from the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a preliminary incident report.

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UK Orders Apple to Hand Over British Users’ Data Amid Encryption Row

This could be seen as a compromise after it dropped its request for all iCloud users’ data.
The post UK Orders Apple to Hand Over British Users’ Data Amid Encryption Row appeared first on TechRepublic.

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