Apr 5, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan (32) during practice before the 2024 Final Four of the NCAA Tournament at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
- Bovada now restricts access to Washington, D.C. and Connecticut
- Connecticut officials sent Bovada a cease-and-desist notice several weeks ago
- Washington, D.C. just expanded online sports betting access districtwide
A pattern seems to be developing with U.S. sports betting states and the illegally operated offshore gaming company Bovada.
State sports betting and/or gaming regulators send Bovada a tersely worded cease-and-desist notice to leave their borders. Bovada representatives never acknowledge receipt of the notice. Bovada restricts access to the state several weeks later.
Bovada against followed the script closely, as it recently added two more jurisdictions to the list, now restricting access to Connecticut and Washington, D.C. for its users.
Connecticut Unsurprising, Washington, D.C. Surprising
The addition of Connecticut to the list of jurisdictions Bovada restricts user access is unsurprising, as the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protections sent Bovada parent company Harp Media B.V. .a cease-and-desist notice on June 14. Harp Media B.V. operates in Willemstad, Curaçao.
“We are happy this unlicensed platform is no longer accepting wagers from Connecticut bettors, and we are reminding consumers that there are only three operators licensed to offer wagers in Connecticut,” Kaitlyn Krasselt, Director of Communications, Connecticut Consumer Protections told Sports Betting Dime.
Fanatics Sportsbook, DraftKings, and FanDuel are the only licensed gaming operators in the state.
In the cease-and-desist letter written by Kristofer Gilman, Director of Gaming in Connecticut, Harp Media B.V. is notified that it is in violation of Connecticut General Statutes 53-278b, 53-278d, and the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA).
However, Bovada has since added Connecticut to its list of restricted states on its FAQ section of its website.
Also added to the list is Washington, D.C. It’s unknown at this point of Washington, D.C. gaming regulators sent the company a notice, but the new restriction coincides with D.C. now offering districtwide online sports betting after only allowing a single operator for the last four years.
The district now features four full online sports betting operators, as FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, and BetMGM all operate throughout D.C.
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.
More States to Follow?
Additional states are likely to follow and request Bovada ceases operations within their borders. Members of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission have already publicly said they will investigate the possibility of sending Bovada a notice.
“I wonder if it’s worthwhile to have a discussion among the commissioners as to whether there are any steps we may want to take,” Massachusetts Gaming Commissioner Nakisha Skinner said during a June agenda setting meeting.
The MGC will host the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office at a future meeting to discuss any potential investigations the office has made into Bovada.
Additionally, newly appointed Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Christopher Hebert told Sports Betting Dime that he’ll be discussing the issue soon with the Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division and the director of gaming at the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.
“Illegal sports wagering is certainly something that the board sees as a problem, as there are no protections for our state citizens who choose to engage in this activity. I will be discussing this issue with the new head of LSP’s Gaming Enforcement Division and the new Director of Gaming at the Attorney General’s Office soon in order to make an informed decision regarding whether to send a cease-and-desist letter,” he said.
Rob covers all regulatory developments in online gambling. He specializes in US sports betting news along with casino regulation news as one of the most trusted sources in the country.
