Scott Ball, a poker player and talent agent, has filed a $30 million lawsuit against ACR Poker for breach of contract and defamation. The lawsuit, filed in San Diego Superior Court, specifically names ACR Poker owner Phil Nagy.

Ball, who runs End Game Talent agency and is a two-time WSOP bracelet winner, claims ACR Poker failed to pay social media influencers who promoted their platform. The contract was reportedly worth $29.7 million, to be paid in nine monthly installments of $3.3 million from June 2023 to April 2024. According to the lawsuit, only three $1.1 million installments were paid in bitcoin.

The defamation portion of the lawsuit stems from Nagy's appearance on the Only Friends Podcast in August, where he allegedly made false statements suggesting Ball was responsible for the missing payments. The lawsuit claims these comments were made with "actual malice and intent" to damage Ball's reputation.

Several influencers, including esports YouTuber Ludwig Ahgren and poker/chess streamer Alexandra Botez, have publicly stated they were never paid by ACR for their promotional work.

Earlier in 2023, Ball faced legal action from Loaded, a Los Angeles management firm representing some of the influencers, resulting in a default judgment of $718,331. Ball claims he cannot settle this judgment due to ACR's alleged nonpayment.

The lawsuit seeks at least $30 million in damages, including restitution for unjust enrichment, legal fees, and damages for defamation and trade libel.

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