Kevin Hart is under fire from commentators as he prepares to host a live casino event. | Source: CCN / Paul Morigi/Getty Images
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Kevin Hart will host four Pragmatic Play live casino sessions on Nov. 6 and 7, featuring a $625,000 prize pool.
The announcement has renewed criticism of Hart’s gambling promotions alongside his public advocacy for financial education.
A popular YouTube commentator contrasted Hart’s work with Chase against advertisements encouraging users to bet through DraftKings.
Kevin Hart’s forthcoming $625,000 live casino event has placed his gambling partnerships under renewed scrutiny, with critics questioning how they fit alongside his promotion of financial education.
The comedian and Hollywood actor will enter Pragmatic Play’s studio on Nov. 6 and 7 to host four live dealer sessions featuring some of the iGaming supplier’s biggest titles.
However, the announcement arrives as a recent YouTube video accuses Hart of sending contradictory messages by teaching audiences about responsible money management while appearing in advertisements for gambling companies.
Kevin Hart Joins Pragmatic Play for $625K Casino Event
Hart will host multiple games during Pragmatic Play’s two-day event, including Mega Wheel, Amazing Baccarat, Gates of Olympus Roulette, Money Time and Sweet Bonanza CandyLand.
The promotion will reportedly offer a combined prize pool of $625,000, with participating players able to receive free chips before the event and randomly awarded cash prizes during Hart’s sessions.
The event will be distributed through participating online casino operators, potentially extending its reach to cryptocurrency-accepting platforms.
However, access will depend on local gambling rules.
The promotion will not be available to players in the United Kingdom and may face restrictions in other jurisdictions, according to details published alongside the announcement.
Hart said he “jumped at” the opportunity after learning what Pragmatic Play had planned.
Pragmatic Play Chief Operating Officer Irina Cornides described the partnership as an attempt to combine casino gaming with large-scale entertainment.
While discussing a separate controversy surrounding Hart’s defense of comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, YouTube commentator LJ turned attention to the actor’s financial education work and gambling advertisements.
The video juxtaposed footage of Hart discussing “financial fitness” on Joe Rogan’s podcast with a DraftKings promotion offering customers $200 in bonus bets after placing a $5 wager.
The commentator accused Hart of claiming to promote “financial stability in the Black community” while simultaneously appearing in gambling advertisements.
The new Pragmatic Play agreement potentially intensifies those concerns because Hart will not merely appear in an advertisement.
He will directly host casino games as players compete for cash prizes.
“I’m not even gonna ask why Kevin needs you to get on DraftKings and bet. Like, the fact is he’s worth a reported $450 million,” Coffezilla said.
“But the real thing I find so gross about this is that Kevin Hart has gone on podcasts and talked about the need for financial literacy,” he added.
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Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.
