Bovada Exits Three More US Markets as Regulatory Pressure Continues

Bovada has exited three more US markets amid regulatory pressure from local regulators. The online gambling operator has so far been banned in 13 states and Washington DC.

Bovada Has Added Three More Markets to Its Restricted List

As one of the biggest offshore operators in America, Bovada has continuously attracted the ire of local regulatory bodies. This year alone saw multiple authorities crack down on Bovada’s operation in an attempt to protect their local markets from foreign influence.

The battle against Bovada was led by Michigan, which was the first to send a cease-and-desist letter to the gambling operator’s parent company, Harp Media. Following that, multiple other states also took similar approaches.

While Bovada did not immediately respond to the first letters, it eventually agreed to pull back the markets in question.

The latest to send cease-and-desist letters to Harp Media were Kansas, Louisiana and Pennsylvania. The addition of these three states to the list of American jurisdictions where the company is restricted greatly limits its local reach.

As of the time of this writing, the following markets have been added to Bovada’s restricted list:

• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Washington DC
• West Virginia

Regulators Want to Shield Their Markets from Foreign Influence

The Kansas regulator said that Bovada did not respond to its cease-and-desist order but did comply with it. A spokesperson said that this regulatory action aligned with Kansas’ desire to protect local players from harm.

These sentiments were echoed by the Louisiana gambling authorities, who likewise emphasized their desire to prevent unlicensed gambling and channel local players’ money toward legal operators.

Pennsylvania, in particular, had remained somewhat patient for a while but finally decided to do something in August. The regulatory action was prompted by Bovada’s decision to offer wagers on the Little League World Series, infuriating the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).

After sending a cease-and-desist letter to the operator in August, the PGCB has now confirmed that the Keystone State has been added to Bovada’s restricted list.

In an interview with Bonus, a PGCB spokesperson elaborated:

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s Office of Enforcement Counsel did send Bovada a cease-and-desist letter at the end of August. Because the letter came from the Board’s investigative unit, it is considered confidential.

PGCB spokesperson

Some experts believe that Massachusetts might be the next state to tackle Bovada, although the local regulator has yet to make any such announcement.