Poker's Scott Ball sues ACR Poker for $30M contract breach, defamation

Posted: January 2, 2025, 11:51 pm.

Last updated: January 2, 2025, 11:51 pm.

Poker player and talent agent Scott Ball is suing offshore poker platform ACR Poker for breach of contract, claiming the social media influencers on his books were never paid to promote the site, which was previously reported in the US. It was known as the Card Room.

Ball, a two-time WSOP bracelet winner who runs the agency End Game Talent, is seeking “at least $30 million, including damages for unjust enrichment, legal fees and damages for defamation and trade defamation.”

The lawsuit, filed just before Christmas in San Diego Superior Court and seen by PokerNews, names ACR Poker owner Phil Nagy personally. The defamation claim relates to comments made by Negi after the dispute between the two parties became public.

'Malice and intent'

Nagy called into the Only Friends podcast last August and claimed that he had met his financial obligations for End Game. He was also seen saying that it was Ball who had failed to pay influential people. The lawsuit claims that these comments were false and made with “actual malice and intent” to damage Ball's reputation and “to deflect blame for (the defendant's) conduct.”

The defendant published false and defamatory statements about the plaintiff party, including, but not limited to, public statements attributing payment failures to the plaintiff party's 'alleged failure to comply with its commitments' and the claim All that has been done is that the plaintiffs 'dropped the ball,'” according to the lawsuit.

Ball claims that shortly after Nagy's appearance on the podcast, the two exchanged a text message in which Nagy challenged Ball to “sue me.”

ghost on payment

Nagy's comments followed public statements from influencers such as esports YouTuber Ludwig Ehgren and poker and chess streamer Alexandra Botez, who claimed they were ghosted by ACR over payments.

According to the lawsuit, the contract between ACR and End Game was worth $29.7 million, consisting of nine monthly installments of $3.3 million from June 1, 2023, to April 1, 2024. However, according to the complaint, only three tranches of the $1.1 million paid in bitcoin were received.

In November, Ball tried to have the decision overturned or overturned. In the latest lawsuit, Ball claims he is unable to settle the judgment due to ACR's alleged non-payment.