Gambling Commission Chairman Asks for Lawsuit Dismissal

The chairman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is asking for a federal judge to scrap the lawsuit filed by Caesars Entertainment on the grounds that a potential conflict of interest was not declared in a timely manner.

Stephen Crosby from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission made the headlines in gambling news after Caesars filed a complaint against him both as an individual and in his official capacity as the chairman of the commission.

On Thursday at a court filing, Crosby rejected the claim put forward by Caesars and called the casino “inflammatory”, also saying their claims were “ultimately groundless.”

Chief of Massachusetts Gaming Commission asks for Caesar’s lawsuit to be dismissed

The lawsuit has been running for about a month, which began when Crosby tried to block the consideration of the Suffolk Downs’ casino application, who are a partner of Caesars.

Caesars say that Crosby actively sought to block the impartial consideration of the Suffolk Downs, while encouraging Wynn, a competing casino to remain in the application process. Caesars say his actions were: “so flagrant and offensive as to shock the conscience and compel judicial intervention.”

Things have become so heated, since US gambling laws in the state of Massachusetts only allows for the licensing of up the three casinos and single slots parlors. No licenses have been awarded yet.

Crosby’s motion to throw out the lawsuit stems from the fact Caesars’ complaint is: “long on unfounded allegations that depend ‘on information and belief,’ but wholly deficient in viable claims for relief.”