Louisiana and Ohio Send Cease And Desist to Offshore Gambling Sites

States around the United States have consistently issued cease and desist letters to offshore casinos that are in direct violation of their state and federal gaming laws. The list now includes 12 states and Washington D.C., with Louisiana and Ohio joining the group. 

Where Are The Letters Going?

The cease and desist notices from these dozen states and Washington D.C. are directed at notable offshore casino sites like Bovada, which provided online gambling for casino games and sports betting even before the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was overturned in May 2018. 

Bovada, initially known as Bodog, was massive. The founder, Calvin Ayre, became a billionaire through the service. 

Today, Bovada’s parent company is Harp Media BV. 

Bovada claims to operate legally through its license through the Anjouan Gaming Board. Anjouan is an island in the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean. 

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board Speaks Out

Appearing at a meeting on Aug. 15, Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Chris Hebert announced the cease and desist letter. 

“As we know, there continues to be a bustling illegal online gambling market in the United States. On August 6th of this year, and on behalf of this board, I sent a letter to the Curacao-based company Harp Media BV, doing business as Bovada, ordering the company to immediately cease and desist from operating its unlicensed online casino in our state.”

These offshore sites target the United States because most gambling regulations are done at the state level. Thus, resources tend to be limited to combat these offshore outlets. 

Chairman Hebert also raised that concern. 

“It is my sincere hope that Louisiana will join the list of restricted states based on our letter, but also that soon the federal government will use its resources to crack down on companies that don’t have in place the regulatory, legal, and financial safeguards necessary to operate within the U.S. betting market. Not to mention the lack of protections for our citizens in the area of responsible gaming or any contributions toward economic development for the state of Louisiana.”

Bovada Limiting Operations?

On the Bovada site, they claim to have adhered to these notices. 

In addition to Washington D.C., these are the states that have issued notices: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and West Virginia.

For those in those states, Bovada is telling those players to arrange a cryptocurrency withdrawal with customer support. At Bovada, cryptocurrency is the preferred banking method. 

While we wait to see how effective this will be, the Department of Justice has come out strongly against these offshore sites and says that it “takes seriously the issue of illegal online gambling and continues to successfully investigate and prosecute illegal internet gambling.”

Now we wait to see what other states will follow suit.