With the North America Gaming Regulators Association (NAGRA) meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, word is quickly spreading about Michigan’s cease and desist letter to offshore sportsbook operator Bovada.
With rumors swirling that Connecticut is following suit shortly, other regulators are starting to inquire if they can take similar steps to attack the black market.
During a Massachusetts Gaming Commission planning meeting on Wednesday, Commissioner Nakisha Skinner raised the issue as something the five commissioners should discuss during a future meeting.
“I wonder just with the discussion around the cease and desist letter that Michigan has spearheaded and, Connecticut, I learned this morning, has signed on, I wonder if it is worthwhile to have a discussion among the commissioners as to whether there are any steps we might want to take as a commission along those lines,” she said.
Skinner noted that, as the regulatory body, there is only so much the commissioners can do and that their “hands are somewhat tied.”
In Michigan, the letter came from the Michigan Gaming Control Board, which has been working hand in hand with state Attorney General Dana Nessel to combat unregulated gaming. The Connecticut letter is said to be coming from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Gaming Division.
Skinner noted that a cease and desist is not the only way the regulator could exert influence. She also suggested the state follow the lead of some other jurisdictions and look to options like holding vendors accountable and ensuring they are not working with any offshore gaming sites.
Interim Chairman Jordan Maynard, who is attending NAGRA along with Skinner, agreed that the issue deserved a discussion, so it could show up on an MGC meeting agenda in the near future.
