Michigan Gaming Regulators Target 33 Illegal Offshore Operators
The MGCB has sent cease-and-desist letters to 33 unregulated offshore operators. MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams vows to continue the fight against unregulated gambling operators offering services to Michigan residents.
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The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has issued cease-and-desist letters to 33 offshore gambling operators, which it found to offer online casino and sweepstakes-style games illegally. The same applies to unregulated sports betting.
In a statement last Thursday, the MGCB warned players of the risks associated with these platforms. They play at unprotected sites who don’t have self-exclusion programs.
Who Does It Apply To?
Letters were sent to a number of operators, including:
- Basepoker
- BingoMania
- Cryptoplay
- Genie Jackpot
- Immersion Casino Online
- iWild Casino
- Lucky Rebel
- MagicianBet
- Azartzona Casino
- Donbet
- Del Oro Casino
- Detective slots
- mBit Casino
- Raging Bull Slots
- SunnySpins
- Stardust
This is just a fraction of the affected operators. The agency’s investigations determined that each of these platforms (and others) offer casino-style and sweepstakes-style games or sports betting to Michigan residents without a single license.
The MGCB requires operators to honor the Internet Gaming and Sports Betting Responsible Gaming Database, which players can use voluntarily to self-exclude from gambling. Offshore operators have no such obligation. Players who have decided to step away from gambling, even those who have self-excluded, can deposit money and bet on unlicensed casino sites. They often don’t realize that these operators are outside of Michigan’s law.
“Choosing to self-exclude is one of the hardest and most courageous decisions a person can make, and in Michigan’s legal market, that choice is respected,” said MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams. “Offshore sites don’t respect it. 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”
The Director says that the letters sent to the offshore operators puts them “on notice that our residents are not an untapped market”. He further added that anyone who ignores Michigan’s protections will be hearing from the MGCB.
A Growing Black Market
Per national research, the MGCB says that offshore gambling is taking a big swing. Per an August 2025 analysis by the American Gaming Association (AGA), Americans wager over $673.6 billion every year with illegal, unregulated gambling operators. These include offshore sites. The illegal market has grown over 22% since the AGA’s previous 2022 report, which is driven by a sharp rise in illegal online casino play.
The AGA further found that Americans placed around $84 billion in bets will illegal offshore sportsbooks in the same year. One out of ten bettors wagered exclusively through illegal sources.
The main problem is that many sports bettors don’t know they’re betting illegally. Over 70%, per the AGA’s findings, believed they were betting at regulated sportsbooks, or would split their bets evenly at legal and illegal sites.
Our guide to US gaming regulators compares Michigan’s setup to others across the USA.
