In August, the Ohio Casino Control Commission sent a cease-and-desist letter to offshore online casino operator Bovada. As a result, the company has added Ohio to its growing list of restricted betting markets.
As of at least August 20, Ohio casino and sportsbook users can no longer register and use the illegal Bovada sportsbook or online casino app.
Bovada adds Ohio to its growing restricted market list
Bovada, which originates from Costa Rica, now has 10 states on its restricted market list, plus the District of Columbia. Nine states have legal, active online gaming markets, also sometimes known as iGaming. Via online casinos, consumers can play slots and other table games via a mobile app. But the Bovada app is not regulated or licensed in the U.S., which makes it an illegal operation in any state, regardless of whether that state has legal online gaming or not. Moreover, Ohio online casinos are not yet legal.
Prior to the decision, which was made without notice from the company, both the sports betting and online gaming app from Bovada were available for download in Ohio. Now, users inside the state border can no longer register or use the Bovada apps.
In May, Colorado and Michigan sent cease-and-desist letters to Bovada, and the company stopped offering its apps in those states shortly after. Connecticut and the District of Columbia used the same tactic in July. This led Bovada to restrict access to their products within those borders.
In June, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission broached the topic of a C&D letter for Bovada and other illegal offshore gaming companies.
“There’s a lot of talk about the illegal gaming market [in Massachusetts],” said MGC commissioner Commissioner Nakisha Skinner. “And discussion around the cease and desist letter that Michigan sort of spearheaded, now Connecticut, I learned this morning has signed on . . . it’s worth the discussion we may want to send a cease and desist letter of our own.”
Why Offshore Sportsbooks are dangerous for consumers
With the decision by Bovada to restrict users from Ohio, these states now ban consumers from using the mobile application:
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- West Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
When offshore gaming companies like Bovada offer their products in jurisdictions where they have not been licensed, it poses a danger to consumers. Unregulated sportsbooks and online casino apps are not required to follow the rules of a gambling commission. They do not pay taxes on gaming revenue. There are no safeguards in place to help customers of an illegal sports betting app. That means, if there is a dispute over a wager, the consumer has no recourse from a regulatory agency.
Offshore betting applications are also not beholden to responsible gambling best practices. States with legal online casinos and online sports betting have responsible gambling programs and guidelines that protect consumers, including those who are underage.
