Michigan regulators have continued their push to eradicate offshore casinos from the state, sending cease and desist letters to a further five operators.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has given BetWhale Casino, Coins Game Casino, and Love 2 Play, all based in Curaçao, Black Lotus Casino (Belize), and Orion Stars 777 Players (China) 14 days to leave the state.
The regulator asserts that all five are breaking multiple state laws, including the Lawful Internet Gaming Act, the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act and the Michigan Penal Code.
Collectively, the websites offer a variety of casino games, as well as sports betting.
“These illegal platforms not only violate Michigan’s gaming regulations but also put consumers at risk by offering unreliable withdrawal options and lacking essential consumer protections,” stated MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams.
Michigan takes hard line on offshore casinos
In his statement, Williams added that the regulator’s top priority is “safeguarding Michigan residents by ensuring that all online gaming activities are conducted legally and safely”.
With this in mind, a plethora of offshore operators in the state have received orders to leave the state.
Just last week, BetNow.EU, said to be regulated by The Autonomous Island of Anjoun Union of the Comoros, was issued with a cease-and-desist order. At the beginning of February, nine other operators were also handed notices.
Some of those operators, the MCGB stated, were attempting to evade regulatory scrutiny by “operating under the guise of sweepstakes”.
Sweepstakes is a vertical continuing to face greater scrutiny across the US as the market grows.
Lawmakers in Connecticut, Maryland and Mississippi have all introduced bills this year to ban the vertical. During the American Gaming Association’s State of the Industry presentation, CEO Bill Miller also slammed the sector as a “newer category of unregulated actors”.
Sweepstakes operators VGW and One Country have previously been chased by the MCGB.
