YouTuber MrBeast, Amazon, and associated production companies face legal action from contestants of the upcoming Beast Games series. 

According to court documents filed in Los Angeles on September 16, five anonymous participants, representing all 1,000 contestants, allege unsafe conditions, unpaid labor, and sexual harassment during the production of what was billed as the “world’s largest live gameshow.” 

The series, announced in March, offered a $5 million prize.

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The 54-page lawsuit claims contestants were subjected to surveillance, controlled sleep schedules, and restricted privacy. It also alleges insufficient meals, dangerous sets, and inadequate background checks that allowed convicted criminals to participate.

Women contestants report a “hostile environment” due to alleged sexual harassment, which the lawsuit claims was “allowed because of marching orders from the top.”

The plaintiffs argue they should be classified as employees and compensated for their “essential labor.” They seek thousands of dollars in unpaid wages for all participants, with two female claimants seeking additional compensation for the alleged hostile workplace.

In July, reports emerged that the Beast Games production encountered logistical challenges and concerns about participant safety and well-being during filming on July 18-22 at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.

At the time, MrBeast’s representative said three medical issues had occurred among the 2,000 participants. Two were unrelated to the production, while one involved dehydration. The representative stated that water, electrolyte drinks, and an entire medical staff were available on-site, and all affected individuals had been released and were doing well.

However, a hospital employee claimed “three or four hospital evacs” during one day, describing the production as “unprepared for the scale” with inadequate on-site medical staff. 

A contestant alleged that prescribed medications were not distributed, food was denied to diabetics, and water was withheld from participants, resulting in at least two seizures.

MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is believed to own or have indirect ownership of MrB2024, one of the named defendants.

MrBeast Under Fire

The lawsuit against Beast Games follows a recent controversy in which MrBeast hired private investigators to investigate grooming allegations against former co-host Ava Kris Tyson.

In August, a 36-page handbook detailing controversial methods and expectations Donaldson set for his company’s operations was leaked.

The manual also includes controversial sections. One titled “No Does Not Mean No” instructs employees to persist when denied permission to film in locations, stating that initial refusals “literally doesn’t mean shit.” 

Another section encourages allowing “the boys to be childish” during filming, promoting an environment where talent can “be idiots” for content.