Zynga, Inc. v. Mills
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The plaintiffs filed lawsuits against two online-game companies, alleging that the companies' casino-themed social gaming applications constituted illegal gambling. The plaintiffs sought to recover money lost by Alabama residents who played these games, on behalf of the players' families, under an Alabama statute that allows such recovery. The plaintiffs did not play the games themselves and did not name any specific Alabama residents who had played the games.
The defendants moved to compel arbitration based on the arbitration agreements included in the terms of service for the games, which players agreed to when they downloaded the games. The defendants also moved to dismiss the cases, arguing that the plaintiffs could not pursue mass claims on behalf of all Alabama residents who played the games and that the games were not gambling. The Franklin Circuit Court denied both the motions to compel arbitration and the motions to dismiss.
The Supreme Court of Alabama reviewed the case and held that the plaintiffs, in asserting claims under the Alabama statute, were standing in the legal shoes of the players who had agreed to arbitrate their claims. Therefore, the plaintiffs' claims must be arbitrated. The court reversed the trial court's orders denying the motions to compel arbitration and remanded the cases for the trial court to grant the motions.
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