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- The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has issued 33 cease-and-desist letters to offshore gambling operators accused of illegally targeting state residents with unlicensed online casino games, sports betting, and sweepstakes products.
- MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams highlighted the severe risk these unregulated sites pose to vulnerable consumers, emphasizing that offshore operators routinely ignore the state’s self-exclusion registry and will readily accept deposits from players actively seeking help for problem gambling.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board said it issued 33 cease-and-desist letters to offshore gambling operators accused of illegally offering online casino games, sweepstakes-style games, and sports betting to Michigan residents.
The action, announced Oct. 8, matters in part because the regulator said players in Michigan’s self-exclusion program are protected in the state’s licensed market, but not on unlicensed offshore sites. According to the MGCB, those sites can still let self-excluded players open accounts, deposit money, and place bets—highlighting how critical state oversight and robust responsible gaming mandates are for consumer protection.
MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said the gap is especially serious for people trying to stop gambling.
> “Choosing to self-exclude is one of the hardest and most courageous decisions a person can make, and in Michigan’s legal market, that choice is respected,” Williams said.
> “Offshore sites don’t respect it. They will take a deposit from someone who has asked for help, and the MGCB has no way to help that person get it back. These 33 letters put operators on notice that our residents are not an untapped market, and that anyone who thinks they can ignore our protections will hear from us.”
Self-exclusion warning is central to the enforcement action
The MGCB said companies must be licensed by the state to offer internet gaming or sports wagering in Michigan. In this case, the agency said the named operators were targeting Michigan residents without that authorization.
The operators listed in the announcement include:
- Azartzona Casino
- Basepoker
- BingoMania
- BitofGold
- Cryptoplay
- Del Oro Casino
- Detective Slots
- Donbet
- Exclusive Casino
- Genie Jackpot
- Guangzhou Snail Interactive Technology Co., Ltd.
- Immersion Casino Online
- iWild Casino
- JacksPay
- Jurassic Slots
- L0tt0
- Lucky Charm Sweep
- Lucky Rebel
- Magicianbet
- mBit Casino
- Odds Maker
- Raging Bull Slots
- Regal Casino and Sportsbook
- Wager Street
- Ronin Slots
- Runewager
- Slot Paradise
- Sloto Tribe
- Sloto’Cash Online Casino
- Spin Dinero
- SpinsTopia
- Stardust
- SunnySpins Casino
- The Online Casino
The regulator said residents can verify whether a platform is authorized by checking the MGCB’s list of licensed online gaming and sports betting operators. It also said consumers can report illegal gambling websites by email or through the agency’s anonymous tip line. Furthermore, state officials emphasize that expanding regulated domestic options like a legal online casino remains vital for keeping players within a safe, monitored ecosystem.
Michigan adds to earlier offshore gambling crackdown
The latest batch of letters follows a prior enforcement push. The MGCB said it sent cease-and-desist letters to 45 offshore operators over four months in April 2026.
The board also warned that operators that ignore the directives could face additional enforcement action in coordination with the Michigan Department of Attorney General.
The announcement cited broader illegal-market concerns as well. Referencing an August 2025 analysis from the American Gaming Association, the MGCB said Americans wager an estimated $673.6 billion each year with illegal and unregulated gambling operators, including $84 billion with illegal bookies and offshore sportsbooks.
The state’s notice did not say whether any of the 33 operators had responded to the letters or give specific deadlines included in the directives.
Source: As reported by michigan.gov.
