A whistleblower lawsuit brought by a former Light & Wonder executive has largely been dismissed by a U.S. federal judge, marking a temporary legal win for the global gaming company amid broader legal challenges and corporate changes.
In a ruling issued by Judge Jonathan Grey of the Eastern District of Michigan, the court found that Antonio Amormino, who formerly led the North American casino studio at Light & Wonder, failed to present adequate evidence to support claims that he was unlawfully terminated for refusing to falsify financial records.
Allegations of Document Forgery Spark Lawsuit
The case stems from Amormino’s assertion that in July 2024, he was pressured by Dror Damchinsky, then Light & Wonder’s vice president of operations, to forge financial documents. Amormino claimed he declined the request due to concerns over compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act—a law that includes whistleblower protections for employees reporting corporate fraud.
According to court documents, Amormino reported his concerns internally and later filed a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). He was placed on administrative leave the same day he filed the OSHA report and terminated four days later.
Light & Wonder denied the accusations. A company spokesperson stated: “Light & Wonder disputes the allegations made by Mr. Amormino in his lawsuit and is actively defending itself through the legal process.”
Legal Arguments Fall Short
Despite the timing of the complaint and termination, Judge Grey ruled that Amormino’s case lacked the factual support needed to establish a connection between the two events. The court determined that Amormino did not show that Light & Wonder had knowledge of the OSHA complaint before terminating him, a necessary component for proving retaliation under Michigan’s Whistleblower Protection Act.
Moreover, Judge Grey ruled that the public policy claim made by Amormino was invalid, as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act already provides its own set of anti-retaliation protections. “Sarbanes-Oxley provides adequate remedies,” the judge noted, including the ability to file a lawsuit if regulatory agencies fail to act within 180 days.
Interestingly, the court did determine that OSHA qualifies as a law enforcement agency due to its enforcement and investigative authority—an issue that had been in dispute during the proceedings.
Parent Companies Also Cleared
Amormino’s complaint had named multiple entities, including LNW Gaming, Light & Wonder Inc., and Light & Wonder International. However, the court dismissed the claims against these affiliated companies, stating that the plaintiff failed to demonstrate that they operated as joint employers or exerted sufficient control over his employment. The judge pointed out that this information was introduced too late—only in response to the motion to dismiss—and could not be considered in the initial ruling.
Opportunity to Amend
While the court dismissed most of the claims, the primary whistleblower complaint was dismissed without prejudice, giving Amormino 21 days to amend and refile. If he fails to do so, the case could be fully dismissed.
This legal challenge comes as Light & Wonder navigates other court battles, including a copyright infringement suit involving Aristocrat and another pending case with Evolution. The company recently announced plans to delist from NASDAQ and transition to exclusive trading on the Australian Securities Exchange by year-end.
Source:
“Judge tosses whistleblower complaint against Light & Wonder”, sbcamericas.com, August 29, 2025
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