The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) announced that it has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Harp Media B.V. and Hove Media, collectively known as Bovada, for operating a sports betting and gambling website without a license in Massachusetts.
According to the letter, Bovada offers online casino games and sports wagering without any license issued by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, violating state gaming and sports betting laws. Additionally, the letter claims Bovada is in violation of state consumer protection laws under Chapter 93A by holding itself out to Massachusetts residents as a “USA-based” gambling operator, inducing Massachusetts consumers to participate in illegal and unregulated forms of gambling. The letter demands Bovada immediately stop all of its services to users in Massachusetts and refund all such users in the form of U.S. currency.
Since 2011, Bovada has presented itself as a legitimate American gambling operator, but without any proper Massachusetts license. 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.
This matter is Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s latest effort to combat the public health harms associated with sports betting and gambling, especially among young people. In March, AG Campbell announced the formation of the Youth Sports Betting Safety Coalition, a new private-public partnership to raise awareness about the laws and risks surrounding youth sports gambling.
This matter was handled by Chief Jared Rinehimer of the AGO’s Data Privacy and Security Division, Assistant Attorney General Louisa Gibbs of the AGO’s Gaming Enforcement Division, and Assistant Attorney General Alda Chan of the AGO’s Consumer Protection Division.
The work of staff in the AGO’s Gaming Enforcement Division, including on this matter, is funded in part by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
Original source can be found here.