Six unlicensed online casinos have been issued cease-and-desist orders from the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB). The sites in question were found to be in violation of the Lawful Internet Gaming Act, Lawful Sports Betting Act, and “provisions of the Michigan Penal Code.”
There’s now a 14-day time limit from the letter’s issuance to get out of Michigan, or the state will press forward with “additional legal action”. The Michigan watchdog warns potential users of offshore, unlicensed casinos that they could be at risk of no payout, rigged games, and zero protections from the state itself on a legal basis.
Those named in the press release include:
- Crypto Slots
- NitroBetting
- NewVegas
- Las Vegas USA Casino
- Grand Rush Casino
- Slotgard Casino
Speaking in the press release, MGCB’s Executive Director said:
“These sites were attempting to exploit Michigan players while operating outside the law.
“We take this seriously. When unauthorized operators offer games without regulation, Michigan players are left exposed — and we will not tolerate it.
“Unlike Michigan’s licensed operators, these sites offer no consumer safeguards.
“They’re not held accountable to anyone, and that puts players in a dangerous position.”
Michigan is an outlier in illegal gambling
Offshore online casinos have seen a dramatic rise in recent years in the US. As some states still don’t allow for online gambling, or where it is legal, they might be more tantalising through different offers. 74% of US gambling revenue went to these platforms.
However, Michigan’s more accepting status on gambling has shown that the work the MGCB has done has had some effect. The report showed that, compared to other states, Michigan spent less on illicit gambling platforms than others.
Michigan spent a total of $2,911,468,491 legally and $2,180,156,407 illegally. As it allows for both online, physical, and sports gambling, revenue reports have been quite hefty. Online operators in June reported $300 million in earnings, while the state’s operators reported $285.2 million in revenue.
