US Department of Homeland Security Targets 5Dimes

US friendly 5Dimes casino, powered by Real Time Gaming, and sportsbook is under siege by the US Department of Homeland Security for alleged money laundering activity via Amazon gift cards. It's interested that the investigation, which would typically fall under the US Department of Justice, is being conducted by the DHS, which protects the country against security threats such as terrorism and cybercrime. A request for the DHS seizure of several Amazon accounts believed to be involved is in process in the US District Court in Philadelphia. The casino is being accused of encouraging its US based players to purchase Amazon gift cards to fund their player accounts to get around the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which prohibits US players from gambling online with the exception of legalized operations in several states. The court filing states, “The investigation has determined that 5Dimes has developed an alternative to the traditional online financial payment methods, which is unavailable to 5Dimes under federal law, in order to operate its illegal betting operation in the US. This illegal alternative relies on the use of [Amazon gift cards], in violation of Amazon's terms of service.” 5Dimes is based in Costa Rica and is not licensed to accept nor market gambling services to American customers; however this recent discovery could shut the operation down and maybe even scare off operators involved in similar practices. The use of Amazon as a payment method hasn't really been kept top secret as a quick search online will reveal numerous related discussions on various forums and message boards. Players were instructed to purchase gift cards and provide photos to fund their accounts followed by an enticing incentive to receive payouts via Amazon accounts. The site is currently still live and appears to be conducting business as usual.