- Bovada has officially restricted access to its services in Kansas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania
- Bovada now restricts access in 13 states and Washington, D.C.
- The Louisiana Gaming Control Board sent the illegally operated offshore gaming company a cease-and-desist notice last month
An additional three states no longer have access to the illegally operated and offshore gaming company Bovada.
Bovada most recently added Kansas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania to its list of restricted markets in the U.S. A rash of markets over the past year have sent the gaming company cease-and-desist notices to leave their boundaries.
The offshore operator now restricts access in 13 states and Washington, D.C.
Cease-and-Desist Notices Rampant
A pattern has emerged with Bovada and states that want the operator out of its boundaries. State gaming commissions will send a cease-and-desist notice to the illegal gaming company, Bovada will never acknowledge receipt of the notice, and then one day will randomly add the state to its list of restricted markets.
The same pattern came to be with Kansas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania.
James Bain, enforcement attorney for the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC), told Sports Betting Dime the commission sent Bovada a cease-and-desist notice on July 8. The operator never acknowledged receipt of the notice nor informed the commission Kansas would be added to its restricted access list.
Bovada never officially signed for the notice, Randy Evans, government relations manager and a sworn law enforcement officer with the KRGC, told Sports Betting Dime. The KRGC received a delivery confirmation of the notice on Aug. 20.
“Our main goal is to make sure the betting public in Kansas is protected and playing on licensed, regulated and taxed sites. We want to make sure we can try to protect the public if there is an issue on bets, getting paid out, anything like that,” Evans said.
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board experienced a similar situation. Christopher B. Hebert, chairman of the LGCB, told Sports Betting Dime that the board sent Bovada a cease-and-desist notice on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
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 noted 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.
A representative for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today confirmed to Sports Betting Dime the board sent a notice to Bovada in late August, but gave no further comment.
Bovada Access Dwindling in U.S.
As of this writing, Bovada restricts users from the following states and districts:
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Maryland
- Delaware
- Michigan
- Colorado
- West Virginia
- Connecticut
- Washington, D.C.
- Ohio
- Louisiana
- Kansas
- Pennsylvania
It’s been a busy few months for Bovada, as more and more state regulators have started to take action against the illegally operated gaming company. Prior to this latest batch, Bovada restricted access in Ohio, 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 list at the end of July.
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.