The list of states cracking down on offshore gaming operator Bovada continues to grow.
As of July 29, Bovada has added both Connecticut and D.C. to the list of restricted states shown within the FAQ section of its site.
Connecticut had sent a cease-and-desist order to Harp Media B.V., the Curaçao-based parent company of the brand several weeks ago. The letter notified Harp Media B.V. that it was in violation of Connecticut General Statutes and the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA) by operating Bovada within the state.
It hadn’t been reported that D.C. had sent a similar shutdown order, but the district is now among the jurisdictions in which Bovada is restricting access. D.C. now hosts a multi-operator commercial gaming market after a brief FanDuel monopoly ended and BetMGM, Caesars and DraftKings all launched district-wide online sports betting operations this month.
SBC Americas reached out to both the D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming and the Connecticut Lottery for more information but has yet to receive a response.
Bovada crackdown continues into summer
Bovada now restricts users in a total of nine states, plus D.C.
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Maryland
- Delaware
- Michigan
- Colorado
- West Virginia
- Connecticut
- Washington, D.C.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board was the first U.S. regulator this year to take a stance against Bovada’s operations, issuing a cease-and-desist letter in May. Colorado also sent a cease-and-desist letter in June and Bovada has gone offline in that state as well.
The most recent state to pressure Bovada to scrap operations was West Virginia, which sent a notice to Harp Media on June 26, stressing that Bovada was in violation of West Virginia law.
The lottery gave Bovada 14 days to comply before turning to legal action. Bovada missed that deadline but West Virginia Lottery director John Myers confirmed to SBC Americas on July 16 that Bovada had added West Virginia to its list of restricted states for gaming accounts.”
List could grow even longer
There’s room on the no-go list for more.
Massachusetts Gaming Commission members have publicly stated they are considering pursuing action against Bovada. Last month, they discussed sending a cease-and-desist letter to the operator and the MGC is considering holding a formal assessment to determine whether to take regulatory action.
