Ryan Seacrest’s polished reputation is under fire as he’s hit with a lawsuit accusing him of pushing an illegal online casino in California. 

The American Idol and Wheel of Fortune host — long seen as one of America’s most trusted TV personalities — is being sued by California resident Aubrey Carillo, who claims she lost money on ChumbaCasino.com, a platform Seacrest regularly promotes on social media, according to court docs obtained by TMZ.

Carillo alleges that Seacrest serves as Chumba’s celebrity endorser, posting paid ads online and appearing in the casino’s promotional materials.

The lawsuit argues that by backing the site, Seacrest is fueling the spread of online gambling addiction among adults and even minors— with Carillo claiming ‘at least one child in her family accessed the site.’

The complaint says ChumbaCasino has been banned in multiple states but still operates in California, and Carillo is seeking an injunction to shut it down there and stop Seacrest from profiting off its revenue.

However, source close to the situation told TMZ that this is ‘just a nuisance lawsuit.’

+6
View gallery

Ryan Seacrest’s polished reputation is under fire as he’s hit with a lawsuit accusing him of pushing an illegal online casino in California

+6
View gallery

The American Idol and Wheel of Fortune host — long seen as one of America’s most trusted TV personalities — is being sued by California resident Aubrey Carillo, who claims she lost money on ChumbaCasino.com, a platform Seacrest regularly promotes on social media, according to court docs obtained

DailyMail.com has reached out to Seacrest’s reps for comment.

Seacrest, who also co-hosted Live with Kelly and Ryan, has promoted the casino on his own Instagram.

In one September 2024 post, Seacrest lounges on a couch with his dog, Georgia, appearing to play on his phone before getting visibly excited.

‘One more game of @chumba.casino and then we’ll go for a walk, Georgia,’ he captioned the shot, tagging his pup in the promo.

The post also included a disclaimer: ‘Sponsored by Chumba Casino. No Purchase Necessary. VGW Group. Void where prohibited by law. See T&Cs. 18+.’

He also pops up on Chumba Casino’s official Instagram page in several playful ads.

In one holiday-themed post, Seacrest is bundled up with hot cocoa, chatting about the ‘excitement’ of the casino’s ‘social games.’

The brand captioned the clip, ‘We’re always happy to bring you fresh new games at ChumbaCasino.com. Let us know which games are at the top of your nice list this Christmas.’

+6
View gallery

online and appearing in the casino’s promotional materials.

+6
View gallery

The lawsuit argues that by backing the site, Seacrest is fueling the spread of online gambling addiction among adults and even minors— with Carillo claiming ‘at least one child in her family accessed the site’

+6
View gallery

The complaint says ChumbaCasino has been banned in multiple states but still operates in California, and Carillo is seeking an injunction to shut it down there and stop Seacrest from profiting off its revenue

 A rep for Chumba Casino said in a statement: ‘This lawsuit has no merit and Chumba will vigorously defend its legal right to operate its business. Our brand ambassador Ryan Seacrest is not involved in the operation of Chumba’s business, and it is unfortunate that he has been unfairly targeted as part of this suit.’

The lawsuit comes on the heels of backlash Ryan faced in January after failing to warn a Wheel of Fortune contestant about the risk of landing a bankruptcy prize.

When the player landed on a $1,000 wedge with the option to flip it for a surprise, Seacrest encouraged, ‘Oh. Let’s go, right?’ — only for the contestant, Bailey, to reveal a dreaded ‘bankrupt’ panel, wiping out his winnings.

Viewers slammed Seacrest for not cautioning Bailey about the risk, with longtime fans noting that former host Pat Sajak, 78, would have given a heads-up.

The incident added to the mixed reviews Seacrest has received as the show’s new host, with some fans calling him ‘annoying’ and ‘lazy.’