GamblingNews
Michigan Gaming Control Board sends cease-and-desist letters to 33 offshore gambling operators
The Michigan Gaming Control Board has issued cease-and-desist letters to 33 unlicensed offshore sportsbooks, casinos and sweepstakes platforms. The regulator warned residents about problem gambling risks and the lack of self-exclusion on such sites.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has stepped up action against unlicensed gambling in the state by sending cease-and-desist letters to 33 offshore operators. According to the regulator, the companies include online sportsbooks, online casinos and sweepstakes platforms.
The MGCB said each of the named businesses offered some form of gambling without holding the licence required in Michigan. Among those listed are Azartzona Casino, Basepoker, BingoMania, Cryptoplay, Genie Jackpot, mBit Casino, Raging Bull Slots, Runewager, Slot Paradise, SpinsTopia and Stardust, as well as Regal Casino and Sportsbook, also known as Wager Street, and Guangzhou Snail Interactive Technology Co., Ltd.
The board argued that unlicensed sites pose particular dangers to players because they do not follow the safer gambling standards expected of regulated businesses and do not provide self-exclusion. MGCB executive director Henry Williams said self-exclusion is a core tenet of regulated gambling and that offshore sites do not respect it. He said such operators will accept a deposit from someone who has asked for help, and that the MGCB has no means of helping that person recover the money.
Williams added that the letters put operators on notice that Michigan residents are not an untapped market, and that anyone who believes they can ignore the state's protections will hear from the regulator.
The MGCB also pointed to recent studies suggesting offshore gambling is increasingly common, with an estimated $673.6 billion wagered on such platforms every year. It noted that many players do not realise these platforms are illegal.
The regulator urged the public to stay vigilant and avoid unlicensed services. Residents who are unsure whether a service is legal can check the lists of licensed online gaming and sports betting operators on the MGCB website. The board also asked people to report illegal gambling websites by email or through its anonymous tip line.
Based on reporting by GamblingNews.