Bovada is one of – if not the – leading black-market sports betting operators taking wagers in the US. Already banned in five states, regulators in Michigan and Connecticut are now taking aim at keeping the platform out of their markets.
Since the US Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, a key goal for legal US stakeholders is stamping out the black market.
The federal government in 2011 had success in taking down the original Poker Stars, which was operating illegally in the US. The same year, the DoJ settled with Laura Varela and Costa Rican sportsbook 5Dimes, which also operated in the US.
But since then, there has been seemingly little activity in relation to keeping illegal gambling operators out of the American market. In May the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) became the first US regulator to send a cease-and-desist letter to an offshore operator.
“Bovada, you are out!”
On 29 May, the MGCB gave Curaçao-based Bo..
