Bovada Adds Kansas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania to Restricted Markets List

Bovada, the offshore gaming operator, has officially restricted access to its services in Kansas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania. This recent development follows a series of cease-and-desist notices sent to the company by state regulators. Bovada now blocks access to s in 13 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., marking the latest in a trend of states seeking to curtail the activities of illegal online gambling operators.

Growing List of Restricted States

The addition of Kansas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania is the latest move by Bovada to withdraw from U.S. markets where it has come under regulatory scrutiny. Over the past year, numerous states have sent cease-and-desist notices to the offshore operator, demanding that it stop providing its services to residents. These actions have led to Bovada’s gradual exit from several key markets, including Nevada, New Jersey, and Michigan.

Bovada now restricts access in 13 states, including Colorado, Ohio, as well as Washington, D.C. The pattern is consistent: state gaming commissions issue a cease-and-desist notice, Bovada does not formally acknowledge the notice, and then quietly adds the state to its restricted list.

The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC) confirmed that it had sent a cease-and-desist notice to Bovada on July 8. The commission’s enforcement attorney, James Bain, revealed that the offshore operator never acknowledged receipt of the notice. However, a delivery confirmation was received on August 20. Randy Evans, the KRGC’s government relations manager and a sworn law enforcement officer, stated, “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.”

Louisiana followed a similar approach. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB) sent a cease-and-desist notice to Bovada on August 6, citing the company’s illegal operations in the state. The notice, addressed to Bovada’s parent company Harp Media B.V. in Curaçao, stated, “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.”

LGCB Chairman Christopher B. Hebert reiterated that Bovada’s operations were not authorized under Louisiana law and constituted illegal gambling activities due to the company’s lack of proper licensing.

In late August, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) also sent a cease-and-desist notice to Bovada. The board confirmed the action but did not provide further details on the notice’s content or whether Bovada had responded. Like Kansas and Louisiana, Pennsylvania’s gaming regulators took action to protect their state’s residents from participating in unregulated and illegal online gambling.

Bovada’s response followed the same pattern seen in other states: no official acknowledgment of the notice, but the state was quietly added to the restricted list, effectively cutting off access to its residents.

The ongoing pressure from U.S. states has significantly reduced Bovada’s market reach within the country. Along with the three most recent states to the restricted list, Bovada has also limited access in states like New York, Maryland, and Connecticut, where similar regulatory actions have been taken. In recent months, Ohio, Washington, D.C., and Connecticut were also added to the list of restricted jurisdictions.

The company’s shrinking access comes as more state regulators step up efforts to crack down on offshore and unlicensed gaming operations. Bovada, which operates from Curaçao under Harp Media B.V., has remained a target for regulators due to its refusal to comply with U.S. gaming laws and the lack of consumer protections typically required of licensed operators.

Calls for Federal Action

State gaming commissions are not the only entities looking to address the issue of offshore gaming operators like Bovada. During a recent meeting of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, Chairman Christopher Hebert praised other states for their efforts to curtail Bovada’s operations and expressed hope for federal action. “Recently, our regulatory colleagues in states such as Michigan and Connecticut have sent similar letters, which have caused Bovada to restrict access to its site to residents of those respective states,” Hebert said. He also expressed his desire for federal authorities to take more significant steps to crack down on companies that do not adhere to U.S. gaming regulations.

With Bovada now restricting access in 13 states and Washington, D.C., and more states likely to follow, the offshore operator’s future in the U.S. market remains uncertain. State regulators continue to push for compliance with local gaming laws, and Bovada’s refusal to engage with these regulatory bodies suggests that its operations could face even more restrictions in the coming months.

Source:

”Bovada adds Pennsylvania, Kansas to no-go list after C&Ds”, sbcamericas.com, September 18, 2024.