The targeted approach Connecticut took to ridding itself of an illegal offshore gambling site, Bovada, appears to have worked. On July 29, Bonus noticed that Connecticut was among the “restricted” states on the site’s list. That restriction appears to be the result of a June 4 “cease and desist” letter Connecticut gaming regulators mailed to Bovada’s owner, Curaçao-based Harp Media.
The letter from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) threatened Harp Media with criminal and civil penalties for allegedly violating Connecticut law.
The District of Columbia was also a new member of the list of states Bovada said no longer had access to the site.
On July 29, the US jurisdictions no longer served by Bovada were the following, in the order named on the site:
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Maryland
- Delaware
- Michigan
- Colorado
- West Virginia
- District of Colombia
- Connecticut
Most of the states above only offer legal sports betting. However, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and West Virginia also offer iGaming. Nevada offers online poker and the other five states provide legal online casinos and poker rooms.
Like Connecticut, most of the recent states on the restricted list sent a cease and desist letter to Harp Media.
A state independently telling a specific site to leave is a new approach from gaming regulators.
In past years, several state gaming regulators joined federal and state lawmakers in asking the US Department of Justice (DoJ) to oust sites including Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie.
UPDATE: 08/20/2024
Bonus checked Bovada’s list of restricted states on Aug. 20 and saw Ohio joined it recently.
That brings the total of US jurisdictions prohibited from using the illegal gambling site to 11.
Jessica Franks — communications director for the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) — told Bonus on Aug. 20:
The Commission did issue a cease and desist letter to Bovada earlier this month.
DC, CT May Have Stopped Bovada
Frank Suarez starts work on Aug. 1 as the new president and CEO of the Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC).
It appears he’ll be starting his job with yet another mark in the “win” column from his tenure as executive director of the DC Lottery. Because that gaming regulator that oversees sports betting no longer has to worry about Bovada, according to the restricted list.
DCP Communications Director Kaitlyn Krasselt didn’t immediately return a request for comment from Bonus. Her responses will be added when they arrive.
UPDATE: 07/29/24
DCP Communications Director Kaitlyn Krasselt told Bonus on July 29:
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.
• Three licensed Sports Wagering operators (Fanatics, FanDuel, DraftKings), two licensed iCasino operators (DraftKings/Foxwoods, FanDuel/MoheganSunOnline), one iLottery operator (Connecticut Lottery Corp/IGT), one Fantasy Sports operator (DraftKings)
Those operators meet our regulatory standards and consumers are protected in the event of an issue. For adults who choose to participate in gaming, we remind them do so responsibly, on a legal platform, and take advantage of tools such as time and money limits, and to take breaks as needed.
Bonus asked if the cease and desist letter spurred the change.
It is likely the letter had an impact. Regardless, the outcome is favorable for Connecticut bettors, who otherwise would be placing their money and personal information at risk by wagering on an unlicensed platform that is not subject to regulatory oversight.
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