Days after Arizona’s gambling regulator launched its first-ever statewide public campaign decrying illegal gambling, it is looking to force several unauthorized operators out of the state.
The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) announced on Friday, Aug. 15 that it has sent cease-and-desist orders to four platforms that it says have been offering illegal online gambling in the state:
- Fliff Online Gambling
- Thrillzz Mobile Gambling
- BettySweeps Casino
- Pulsz Casino
The ADG labeled Thrillzz and Fliff as event wagering sportsbooks, while BettySweeps and Pulsz were branded as online sweepstakes casinos.
Social gaming platform Fliff stepped into online sweepstakes casino business early in 2025 and is a founding member of the Social and Promotional Gaming Association (SPGA). It has also been sent similar shutdown notices by other states including Louisiana and New York in recent months. Its sweepstakes promotional rules webpage lists those two states, as well as 15 others, as states where its sweeps products are unavailable.
Arizona’s regulator stated in a press release that all four identified operators are believed to be offering access to illegal online gambling platforms, and that those active operations would constitute felony criminal enterprises in violation of several state laws.
Each operator has been told to shut down activities of any type in Arizona and to take the necessary steps to immediately prevent Arizona residents and visitors from gambling on their websites.
Arizona has previously sent similar notices to many other operators, including recognizable offshore names such as Bovada, MyBookie and BetUS as well as peer-to-peer exchanges like ProphetX and Novig.
In recent times, it has also taken up arms against prediction market operators that offer sports trading, sending C&Ds to Kalshi and Crypto.com in May and writing to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) shortly thereafter to criticize the organization for its handling of Designated Contract Markets (DCMs).
Arizona tells its population to steer clear
Four days before detailing its latest C&Ds, the ADG unveiled its first-ever statewide Public Education Campaign focused on unregulated gambling.
Noting that the state offers a variety of legal, regulated gaming options including tribal casinos, sports betting, fantasy sports and parimutuel wagering, the department is hoping to help Arizonans identify what is and what isn’t an approved gambling platform. The campaign includes Public Service Announcements (PSAs) across TV, radio, print, and digital platforms and a Check Your Bet webpage, which it positioned as a centralized resource to verify regulated gaming and access consumer protection tools.
Among other things, that online site allows users to view and explore searchable lists and interactive maps of authorized casinos and licensed sports betting operators.
The ADG has spoken out publicly on this topic before. In January of this year, it released a PSA providing resources and tips for safe and responsible gaming in the state and warning the public about online sweepstakes and casinos.
The ADG said it continues to actively monitor, investigate and take enforcement action against entities attempting to exploit Arizona residents through unauthorized gambling activities, including possible enforcement actions in partnership with the state Attorney General’s Office.
