Bovada may not be long for the Big Easy.
The Gaming Control Board (LGCB) sent the offshore, unregulated sports betting and iGaming operator a cease-and-desist notice on Tuesday, Aug. 6. The notice demands Bovada immediately cease its services in the state.
Christopher B. Hebert, chairman of the LGCB, told Sports Betting Dime that the company has yet to receive the notice.
Bovada May Leave State
The certified notice was sent to Harp Media B.V., the parent company of Bovada, which operates in Willemstad, Curaçao.
Bovada is allowing Louisiana residents and/or persons located in the state of Louisiana to place wagers via mobile application and internet websites with online casino services which include sportsbook, iGaming, table games slots, live dealer, poker, horse racing, and hundreds of other gambling options in violation of Louisiana gaming laws and regulations, Hebert wrote in the notice.
Hebert notes the company s operation is not authorized under Louisiana law and constitutes an illegal gambling business due to not being properly licensed in the state. The LGCB demands that Bovada immediately cease and desist from operating its online casino, allowing Louisiana residents to place online wagers, and offering any games and/or online casino services in the state such as sports betting, slots, and poker.
The notice directs Bovada to inform all account holders that its websites, services, and applications are not legal in Louisiana and that wagers may no longer be made in the state.
Additionally, Bovada must continue to allow all Louisiana customers to withdraw any funds currently held by Bovada. Failure to comply may result in additional civil and/or criminal actions, Hebert wrote.
While Hebert declined to offer any additional comment to Sports Betting Dime, he did point to a he made at the Aug. 15 Louisiana Gaming Control Board meeting.
It is my sincere hope that Louisiana will join the list of restricted states based on our letter, but also that soon the federal government will use its resources to crack down on companies that don t have in place the regulatory, legal, and financial safeguards necessary to operate within the U.S. betting market, not to mention the lack of protections for our citizens in the area of responsible gaming, or any contributions to economic development in the state of Louisiana, he said.
Pattern Emerging with Bovada
While Bovada never publicly comments on its decisions, a pattern has emerged in the last year.
State regulators will send the gaming company a cease-and-desist letter to stop offering action in their borders, the company won’t acknowledge receipt of the notice, and then add the state to their restricted list without warning.
As of this writing, Bovada restricts users from the following states:
Nevada
New Jersey
New York
Maryland
Delaware
Michigan
Colorado
West Virginia
Connecticut
Washington, D.C.
It’s been a for Bovada, as more and more state regulators have begun to take action against the illegally operated gaming company. Most recently, Bovada , its 11th market added to the company’s restricted list, and its third market in just the last month.
Bovada added Washington, D.C., and Connecticut to its.
