Michigan Orders 33 Offshore Gambling Sites To Cease Operations

The Michigan Gaming Control Board sent cease-and-desist letters to 33 offshore gambling operators on Thursday, accusing them of illegally offering online casino games, sweepstakes-style products and sports betting to state residents, according to Legal Sports Report.

The regulator said unlicensed platforms do not provide the same safeguards as Michigan's licensed online casino and sports betting operators, particularly around self-exclusion.

MGCB executive director Henry Williams said choosing to self-exclude through the state's programme takes courage. "Offshore sites don't respect it," he said. "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."

Operators named in the letters include Lucky Charm Sweep, Regal Casino and Sportsbook, Basepoker, Exclusive Casino and Genie Jackpot, among 28 others on a list the board released in full.

Michigan's action extends beyond offshore casino and sportsbook sites. The state has also targeted unlicensed prediction market operators offering sports event contracts.

The board cited American Gaming Association research showing Americans wager $673.6 billion annually across legal and illegal gambling platforms, with the illegal market growing 22% since 2022. The MGCB also pointed to a finding that 70% of sports bettors using illegal operators were unaware the sites were unlicensed.

Williams framed the letters as a warning to the wider offshore industry. "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," he said.

The board has directed residents toward a list of authorised legal platforms. Thursday's batch follows 45 cease-and-desist letters the MGCB sent in April.

On prediction markets, the MGCB and the Michigan attorney general's office have pursued several companies offering sports event contracts in the state. Coinbase withdrew those offerings in Michigan this week, following a preliminary injunction the state won against Kalshi and an agreement that led Robinhood to pause its contracts in Michigan last month.