Bovada recently added Ohio to its list of restricted U.S. jurisdictions. The online sportsbook, poker, and iGaming provider now prohibits customers from 10 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
Most of the action taken by Bovada has been in response to cease-and-desist letters from the, now, restricted states. The action taken to restrict Ohio is no exception.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission confirmed to Covers that it did send a cease-and-desist letter earlier this month. The letter, dated Aug. 6, was issued by the commission’s executive director, Matthew T. Schuler.
“Because Bovada is offering unlicensed and illegal online gaming products within Ohio, the Commission demands that Bovada cease and desist from offering, participating in the offering, or facilitating those who offer these products in the State of Ohio,” Schuler wrote.
Bovada was given until Aug. 16 to notify the commission that it had complied with the notice.
Although Ohio has yet to hear from Bovada, its website now has The Buckeye State on its restricted list.
Crackdown continues
Bovada had been flying under the radar screen for years, offering its online services across America. Understandably, most states prioritized the legalization and licensing of sportsbooks and other gambling products once the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision opened the sports betting floodgates. It has only been lately, that states have begun to crackdown on unlicensed operators.
Michigan was among the first to tackle the offshore operator. In May, The Wolverine State issued a cease-and-desist letter to Harp Media B.V., Bovada’s parent company. Colorado did as well. And it worked. Connecticut soon followed suit, as did West Virginia. State by state, Bovada complied.
Currently, residents in Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware, Colorado, Michigan, Connecticut, West Virginia, Ohio, and the District of Columbia are prohibited from accessing Bovada’s website.
Considering Bovada’s compliance with the already issued cease-and-desist letters, there’s no reason why more states won’t attempt the same legal strategy. Of course, Bovada is hardly the only unlicensed offshore operator targeting U.S. customers. And many of these other fly-by-night operators may be harder to eradicate than Bovada.
