After Michigan, Colorado, and Connecticut, West Virginia is now the fourth state in the US to send a cease-and-desist letter to Bovada Sportsbook. On June 27, the West Virginia Lottery sent the notice to the website situated in Curacao.
West Virginia may follow seven other states in prohibiting citizens from placing bets with Bovada Sportsbook.
The notice has not been answered by the offshore sports betting website Bovada as of now. The offshore website has also ceased taking bets from users in Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, and New York, in addition to Colorado and Michigan.
In May, Michigan was the initial state to issue a cease-and-desist directive. Each letter allows residents 14 days from the date of receipt to stop using the sportsbook operator, Harp Media B.V., in order to prohibit gambling on the website.
Put otherwise, Bovada is receiving the same amount of time from West Virginia.
Regulatory organizations’ control of iGaming has also increased as a result of its recent rise. These notifications serve as a reminder to foreign operators that it is still unlawful to break local laws.
There are rumors that Massachusetts is also thinking about filing a lawsuit. Ten daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators received cease-and-desist orders from the Bay State in March.
The American Gaming Association claims that Americans bet more than $500 billion a year on offshore gaming websites.
The American Gaming Association reports that Americans bet more than $500 billion a year on offshore gaming websites. Sixty-eight billion of that total come from sports betting alone.
In 2018, West Virginia approved internet sports wagering. Eight sportsbooks are currently operating in the state: BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel.
Offshore bookmakers are exempt from the Mountain State’s 15-sport limit on online sportsbooks. This is so because operators operating without a license are exempt from local, state, and federal legislation.
There are five regulated land-based casinos in West Virginia.
2019 saw the closure of BetLucky due to noncompliance with West Virginia Lottery requirements.
Furthermore, The Greenbrier Resort (FanDuel), Mardi Gras Casino (Betly), Mountaineer Casino (Caesars), Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack (Betly), and Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races (ESPN BET) are the five regulated land-based casinos in West Virginia that are currently linked with sports betting apps.
Following the 2018 ruling by the United States Supreme Court on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), 38 states and the District of Columbia have authorized sports betting under regulated conditions.
Rubby Cordelia is a finance journalist for WVPrepBB.com, bringing expertise and clarity to her reporting on financial news. With a passion for demystifying complex economic issues, Rubby delivers insightful analysis and up-to-date information on the latest market trends, financial policies, and economic developments. Her work on WVPrepBB.com is essential reading for anyone looking to stay informed about the ever-changing world of finance.
