Massachusetts Attorney General Office Sends Cease And Desist Letter to Bovada

Written By Mike Breen on October 8, 2024 - Last Updated on October 10, 2024
Bovada Cease Desist Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office has issued a cease and desist order, demanding that online sports betting and casino website Bovada immediately cease offering its products in the Commonwealth. 

The letter — addressed to Harp Media B.V. and Hove Media, the overseas companies that operate Bovada — states that the gambling website is breaking state law, as Massachusetts sports betting operators must obtain licensure from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Moreover, online casinos are currently prohibited in the Commonwealth.

Massachusetts AG office sends cease and desist letter to Bovada

A press release from the Attorney General’s office announcing the cease and desist order explains why unlicensed gambling operators are against Massachusetts law:

“Unlicensed operators pose a substantial danger to consumers because they do not go through the same rigorous review as licensed operators, have limited or no protections against gambling addiction and underage play, and do not provide consumers with reliable access to their funds since most unlicensed operators are offshore.”

Harp Media B.V. is headquartered in Willemstad, Curacao, while Hove Media is based in the Comoro Islands.

MA AG: Unlicensed operators pose a danger to consumers

Massachusetts is the latest state to send Bovada a cease and desist letter this year after MGC commissioner Nakisha Skinner raised the Bovada issue back in June. Bovada has yet to publicly acknowledge the notices. However, the company has complied with the orders by adding the states to its list of U.S. jurisdictions in which its gambling products are not available.

Bovada added Pennsylvania, Kansas, and Louisiana to that growing list last month after officials sent similar cease and desist orders. Massachusetts will likely be the next to join that restricted list.

Bovada currently prohibits access in the following states: 

  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • D.C.
  • Kansas
  • Louisiana
  • Maryland
  • Michigan
  • Nevada
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • West Virginia

Bovada operations also violate Massachusetts consumer protection law

The Massachusetts cease and desist letter, signed by Assistant Attorney General Louisa Gibbs, states that Bovada is operating illegally in the Commonwealth.

The letter notes that Bovada has been offering online casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and poker without a license. Likewise, the letter claims that Bovada’s sports wagering and horse-race betting are being offered without a license, which is also prohibited by the state’s gambling laws.

The letter also claims that Bovada has violated Massachusetts’ consumer protection laws by presenting itself as a legitimate business:

“Despite its unlicensed status, Bovada holds itself out to Massachusetts residents as a legitimate gambling operator. For example, Bovada claims that it is ‘USA-based,’ the ‘face of the industry,’ ‘America’s No. 1 destination’ for sports betting and gambling, and purports to operate responsible gambling, self-exclusion, and anti-money laundering programs. Bovada almost exclusively depicts U.S. major league teams and players on its webpages and social media platforms, and collaborates with U.S. players and U.S. sports-related content creators to promote its platform.”

AG could take legal action if Bovada fails to comply

Along with calling on Bovada to cease offering its products in the Commonwealth, the letter demands that the company “refund all Massachusetts users in the form of U.S. currency.” The Bovada website currently states that users in restricted states may contact customer service to obtain a withdrawal of their account balances in the form of cryptocurrency. It’s unclear whether or not that form of withdrawal satisfies the A.G. office’s demand.

The MA Attorney General office’s notice says that legal action may be taken if Bovada doesn’t comply with all of their requests:

“Failure to cooperate with this demand may subject you to the Attorney General seeking injunctive relief, restitution, civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation, and the costs of the investigation and litigation.”

Massachusetts Gaming Commission addressed Bovada issue in June

At a June meeting, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission first discussed the prospects of the state issuing a cease and desist letter to Bovada. In late May, Michigan became the first state to demand the website stop operating in the state. 

At the MGC meeting, commissioner Nakisha Skinner brought up the topic, saying she’d recently been made aware that Connecticut was preparing to follow Michigan’s lead. MGC interim chair Jordan Maynard said that he believed the process may have already begun.

In February, the MA Attorney General’s office sent cease and desist notices to 10 daily fantasy sports operators, including StatHero, Sleeper and Yahoo! Daily Fantasy Sports. Those letters noted that some of those DFS operators’ “pick’em” offerings amounted to sports wagering parlays, which are only permitted to be offered by licensed MA sports betting operators.

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Mike Breen

Mike Breen is an Ohio-based professional writer who has more than two decades of experience covering sports, news, music, arts and culture. He has covered online sports betting, responsible gambling, and other gambling initiatives for a variety of markets over the last couple of years. That now includes PlayMA.

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