The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has issued cease-and-desist orders to five illegal online gambling operators—BoVegas Casino, BUSR, Cherry Gold Casino, Lucky Legends, and Wager Attack Casino—after discovering they were targeting Michigan residents without proper licenses. These operators are violating Michigan’s Lawful Internet Gaming Act, the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act, and the Michigan Penal Code.

“These illegal sites undermine the integrity of Michigan’s regulated gaming industry and put players at serious risk. We will not tolerate unlicensed gambling operations that exploit Michigan residents. Our top priority is to protect the public by enforcing the law and shutting down these illegal platforms,” said Henry Williams, Executive Director of the MGCB.

Details of the Crackdown

BoVegas Casino: Offers slots and table games while ignoring Michigan’s strict licensing requirements, leaving players vulnerable to fraud and unfair gaming.

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BUSR: Markets itself as a sportsbook and casino but operates without the consumer protections required by Michigan law.

Cherry Gold Casino: Promotes a wide range of slots and table games but lacks Michigan licensure, putting players at risk.

Lucky Legends: Claims to offer a “VIP experience” with bonuses but bypasses state regulations designed to ensure fairness.

Wager Attack Casino: Combines sports betting and casino gaming without a Michigan license, exposing consumers to unregulated practices.

The MGCB’s investigations found that these sites have been accepting wagers and deposits from Michigan residents on sports events, slots, blackjack, and other casino games—all without the oversight and safeguards required by law. Players using these platforms face unreliable payouts, unfair gaming practices, and have no legal recourse in case of disputes.

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“These illegal operations, whether offshore or operating without a Michigan license, exploit players and put them at risk. We will continue to take strong action to protect the integrity of Michigan’s gaming industry and to ensure that residents have access to safe, legal, and regulated gambling options,” Williams said.

The cease-and-desist orders demand that each operator immediately halt all gaming activities in Michigan. They have 14 days to comply or face further legal action from the MGCB in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Attorney General.

The Campaign for Fairer Gambling (CFG) releases a supplement to its USA National Online Gambling Report 2024 which exposed that illegal online gambling takes 74% of total gross gambling revenue (GGR) in America. Commissioned by CFG and produced by online market intelligence platform, Yield Sec, the supplement analyzes all 50 states according to their regulatory status and shows that state legalization of online gambling – without the reduction and removal of illegal online gambling – increases total losses for American consumers by up to 261%.

The supplement groups US states into one of three regulatory realities:

• States with no legal online gambling (e.g. California, Texas)

• States with one form of legal online gambling – sports betting (e.g. New York, Florida)

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• States with all forms of legal online gambling – sports betting and casino (e.g. Michigan, New Jersey).

The CFG State Supplement #1 demonstrates the effect of GGR per capita (the total marketplace value for legal and illegal online gambling divided by population) as a percentage of average income 2024 to further illustrate the burden across American consumers:

Total online GGR (Legal + Illegal) per capita as a percentage of income:

– USA National: GGR per capita is 0.62% of average income

– States with no legal online sports betting or casino (e.g. California, Texas): GGR per capita is 0.31% of average income

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– States with legal online sports betting only (e.g. New York, Florida): GGR per capita is 0.77% of average income

– States with both legal online sports betting and casino (e.g. Michigan, New Jersey): GGR per capita is 1.12% of average income.

The supplement data makes clear that legalization of online gambling, without enforcement against illegal online gambling, increases the total loss and harm. When states legalize online sports betting only, GGR per capita as a percentage of income increases by 148% (from 0.31% to 0.77%). When both online sports betting and casino are legalized, it jumps by 261% (from 0.31% to 1.12%). If legalization truly replaced illegal gambling, the dominance of illegal gambling would diminish – but, the reality is that this is not a zero-sum game.

“Ohio is the alarm bell America needs to hear. Just one year after legalizing online sports betting in 2023, losses for Ohioans had already reached 1.33% of average income per capita to online gambling – the heaviest burden in the country, and more than twice the national average. Across the US, we’re not seeing illegal gambling being replaced, we’re simply seeing total consumer losses grow. In states with full legalization, losses are now 261% higher than where there’s no legal online gambling at all. This isn’t progress, it’s escalation,” states Derek Webb, Founder of CFG.

Ismail Vali, founder and CEO of Yield Sec, added: “Yield Sec surveillance shows that the legal industry is being undermined at every turn by criminal competitors who offer greater value, bigger bonuses, and lower barriers, since they pay no tax, no licensing and exploit all forms of regulation in the absence of sincere monitoring, policing and enforcement against them.

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“It is a vicious cycle: failing to deal with crime causes loss from theft. Across the country, legalization without enforcement against illegal operators, only gives criminals another edge. The outcome is predictable: legal revenue collapses, tax income shrinks, and criminals walk away with hundreds of millions. If states want to make the money they should, enforcement against crime must come first and always – to reduce and remove illegal gambling’s appeal and availability.”