Phil Nagy, ACR Poker’s head boss, reportedly told Scott Ball to “sue me” over a financial dispute, and that’s exactly what occurred just before Christmas.
The poker pro filed a lawsuit in a San Diego Superior Court on Dec. 23 over a breach of contract against Nagy, ACR (formerly Americas Cardroom), International Processing Services, and Foozle Ventures. Ball’s talent agency, End Game Talent, LLC, was hired by ACR to arrange streamers to promote the poker site, many of whom reported they were never paid, including Ludwig Ahgren.
Nagy claims that ACR paid the agency and that End Game was responsible for then paying the streamers. But Ball, in a September interview with PokerNews, alleged that his company never received millions in contracted payments, leaving him unable to pay the streamers.
Both parties have publicly disputed the other side’s claims, and now a judge will officiate the matter.
Lawsuit Against ACR Poker
Ball told PokerNews earlier this year that his company worked for ACR Poker for “over seven years” and that he had contracts for “tens of millions of dollars,” none of which was paid after June 2023. Exhibit A in the lawsuit shows nine invoices each for $3,300,000 from June 1, 2023 to April 1, 2024 from End Game to “Americas Cardroom Campaign.”
The plaintiff seeks damages in the amount of “at least $30 million, restitution for unjust enrichment, legal fees, and damages for defamation and trade libel.” Ball argues that Nagy made defamatory statements against the poker pro.
“Defendant published false and defamatory statements about Plaintiffs, including but not limited to public statements attributing payment failures to Plaintiffs’ alleged failure to ‘follow through on their commitments’ and claiming Plaintiffs ‘dropped the ball,’ the complaint reads, referring to statements Nagy made to Matt Berkey and crew on an August OnlyFriends podcast episode.
The lawsuit claims Nagy and ACR made alleged false statements with “actual malice and intent” to harm Ball’s professional reputation and “deflect blame for their own conduct.”
Scott Ball Says “I Want to See Creators Get Paid”; Claims Nagy Never Made Good on Eight-Figure Deal
The main cause of action against the defendants is for breach of contract. Ball’s attorneys argue their client performed all obligations as set forth in the contract, while the ACR didn’t pay $29.7 million in combined promised installments.
Ball, who has over $1.8 million in The Hendon Mob cashes, contends that “repeated demands for payment and concessions,” ACR has failed to pay the outstanding debt “due under the contract.”
Ball, as the lawsuit explains, is facing a separate but connected lawsuit filed against him from Loaded, LLC over nonpayment related to the ACR matter, a payment the California poker player claims he’s been unable to make due to ACR’s refusal to first pay his talent agency.
A hearing has been set for July 18, 2025.