State gaming regulators in the United States are intensifying efforts to halt operations of offshore casino and sports betting websites that violate federal and state gaming laws. One of the most prominent illegal gaming websites in question is Bovada, an online platform offering casino, sportsbook, and poker room services without holding any US gaming licenses. Formerly known as Bodog, Bovada helped its founder, Saskatchewan-born Calvin Ayre, achieve billionaire status.
Recently, Ohio and Louisiana gaming regulators joined a growing list of authorities demanding that Bovada cease operations targeting players within their jurisdictions. The Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board sent cease-and-desist letters to Bovada, which operates from its headquarters in Curacao.
Both Ohio and Louisiana host legal, regulated brick-and-mortar casinos and in-person and online sportsbooks, although online casino games remain prohibited. The directives follow similar warnings issued by gaming regulators in other states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Washington, DC, and West Virginia.
Bovada claims it operates legally through an iGaming license from the Anjouan Gaming Board, part of an archipelago off the southeastern coast of Africa. However, US gaming regulators and industry leaders argue that these licenses hold no legal weight in the United States.
On its website, Bovada asserts that it has complied with all cease-and-desist letters except for the one from Louisiana, dated August 6. The company advises customers with account balances in affected states to contact customer support for a “cryptocurrency withdrawal.” Bovada favors cryptocurrency transactions, offering larger sign-up bonuses and promotional incentives for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and other digital currencies.
The expansion of legal gambling in the US has been significant, particularly following the 2018 Supreme Court decision that deemed a federal law restricting single-game sports betting to Nevada as unconstitutional. This ruling paved the way for nearly 40 states to authorize sports gambling. Legal iGaming has also grown to seven states, with several others considering the authorization of online slot machines and table games.
As legal gaming reaches new markets and players, the American Gaming Association, a principal trade group representing commercial and tribal gaming interests, urges the Department of Justice to intensify efforts against illegal offshore gaming. The federal law enforcement agency has affirmed its commitment to investigating and prosecuting illegal internet gambling operations.
