Gambling YouTuber and social media influencer Matt “Vegas Matt” Morrow has threatened a defamation lawsuit against an anti-gambling social media personality.
The threat stems from a YouTube video from recovery advocate Rob Minnick. In it, he refers to Morrow as an example of someone who normalizes problem gambling behavior. Minnick brands his social media presence as “ODAAT,” which stands for “one day at a time.” He discusses what he sees as the dark side of gambling.
Minnick said he received a 17-page letter from Morrow’s attorney threatening the suit and demanding an apology. In a series of Instagram videos, the recovering gambling addict said he was simply investigating the high-stakes gambler’s business practices.
“I’m being asked to apologize for investigating a gambling influencer’s marketing,” he said in one video. “Asked to apologize for explaining that the influencer and the viewer have different financial incentives, asked to apologize for not treating high-stakes gambling content as harmless entertainment merely because criticizing it makes a powerful brand uncomfortable.
“Listen Matt … after carefully reading your 17-page demand letter, telling a gambling addict to stop questioning your content that’s creating more gambling addicts everyday, I would like to formally apologize to you for absolutely nothing.”
Legal Battle In The Works?
In an Instagram video, Minnick said he has retained an attorney and started a GoFundMe to fight a legal battle.
Minnick said he will donate the funds to charity if he doesn’t need them. But only if Morrow features an addict in recovery on his channel. Minnick said gambling addicts have one of the highest suicide rates in the country.
The original video argued that content like Morrow’s made irresponsible gambling seem normal. It highlighted a six-figure casino loss in a single day.
“If most people lost $147,000, it would be one of the worst days of their lives,” Minnick said in the video. “Vegas Matt loses $147,000 and calls it ‘a hell of a YouTube video.’”
Minnick goes on to allege that Morrow is selling a lie to viewers by glamorizing large wins and losses. He further claims Morrow’s content is irresponsible. He says the social media influencer has become “one of the gambling industry’s most valuable salesmen.”
Concerns About References To Criminal Behavior
Morrow’s channel has more than 1.6 million subscribers and features the gambler wagering thousands of dollars at a time. The letter threatening a lawsuit claims Minnick engaged in defamation, false light, and potential interference with business relationships.
It said using terms like “fraud,” “scam,” and “fake gambler” could be interpreted by the public as criminal behavior. Morrow contends he hasn’t committed any crime. His attorney argued that these references could damage the gambler’s reputation.
The letter demanded an apology as well as several edits and corrections by Aug. 28 to avoid legal action. Minnick has vowed to not change the video nor issue an apology. He did clarify a few things, however, in another video on Aug. 27.
“I do not have evidence that Vegas Matt manipulates slot machines, changes gambling outcomes, operates an illegal casino, falsifies the results … or participates in a criminal conspiracy,” he said in the video. “I don’t dispute the fact that Vegas Matt publicly identifies himself as a gambling content creator … and has publicly disclosed commercial relationships.”
Minnick further defended his use of words like “scam” as part of his criticism of the gaming industry and perceived deception as it relates to responsible gambling. He also produced a similar video about another gambling YouTuber named “Lady Luck HQ,” who has more than 1.2 million subscribers.
Morrow Recently Said The Venetian Banned Him
For his part, Morrow admits that he loses money making videos, but YouTube monetization, merchandise sales, and casino partnerships make the venture profitable overall.
This has been the second time over the last week that Morrow has made headlines. He recently said he was banned by the Venetian in Las Vegas after winning a $400,000 slot jackpot.
In other slot machine news, a player from Atlanta won a $10.3 million jackpot at Las Vegas’s Westgate Casino in June.
