Lawyers for BetOnSports, the second or third-largest online betting and gambling company, failed to show up in federal court in St. Louis this morning to answer criminal charges of racketeering and fraud.

Federal prosecutors said the company had been served with the appropriate paperwork, including papers given to former BetOnSports CEO David Carruthers upon his arrest in Texas. The U.S. Attorney’s office is researching what sanctions will be requested against the company.

Carruthers, who has since been fired, was also not present. His lawyer said he was in transit from Texas and his arraignment is expected later today.

All of the other criminal defendants pleaded not guilty either in person or through lawyers, including one other company, DME Global Marketing & Fulfillment Inc.

A lawyer for DME said lawyers or representatives of two other companies that had been charged, Direct Mail Expertise Inc. and Mobil Promotions Inc., were unlikely to show up because the companies had gone out of business.

„Then we’ll just have to take you into custody,“ U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Ann Medler joked.

The companies and employees have been charged in federal court in St. Louis with a 22-count indictment that alleges that BetOnSports allowed U.S. gamblers to bet and gamble billions of dollars even though the company knew it was illegal.

DME Global and the other companies are accused of providing advertising and promotional services and helping sign up customers.