Michigan Regulator Sends Out Six More Cease-And-Desists To Offshore Operators
Agency will pursue enforcement action if platforms don't shutter within 14 days
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The Michigan Gambling Control Board on Wednesday sent out six cease-and-desist letters to illegal gambling operators ordering them to shutter within 14 days, the agency announced.
Crypto Slots, Grand Rush Casino, Las Vegas USA Casino, NewVegas, NitroBetting, and Slotgard Casino will face legal action, according to a press release, if they do not shut down their platforms.
The letters are the latest in a long string sent out by the MGCB in an effort to rid Michigan of illegal platforms, bringing the total for July to 28. On July 2, the agency sent out letters to 19 to operators running illegal gambling platforms.
Gambling regulators across the U.S. have issued countless cease-and-desist letters in the last year, targeting everything from illegal sweepstakes sites to offshore casinos and sportsbooks. In June, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board and the Mississippi Gaming Commission announced they sent out a combined 50+ letters to offshore operators.
Because gambling is regulated on a state-by-state basis, each regulator must send letters to black-market operators on their own rather than through a federal clearinghouse.
MGCB: ‘We will not tolerate it’
“These sites were attempting to exploit Michigan players while operating outside the law,” MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said via press release. “We take this seriously. When unauthorized operators offer games without regulation, Michigan players are left exposed—and we will not tolerate it.”
According to the press release, the MGCB is investigating additional suspected illegal operators. The agency wrote that the sites offer “no consumer protections” and are “not held accountable to anyone, and that puts players in a dangerous position.” It wrote that players may not get payouts for wins, games may be rigged, and that there is “no legal protection in cases of fraud, data theft, or account disputes.”
The MGCB said it will pursue enforcement action in conjunction with the state attorney general’s office for platforms that do not exit the state.
