Bovada Further Shrinks US Presence by Exiting Ohio

Popular offshore sportsbook and online casino platform preferred by US bettors as a “trusted source for gaming and betting entertainment,” Bovada, has stepped out of Ohio.

Harp Media, which runs Bovada, has complied with a cease-and-desist order that the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) issued on August 6.

The OCCC confirmed the letter sent to the Curacao-based company in which they informed them that the type of wagering they were providing via the Bovada website was deemed illegal in the Buckeye State. 

The commission established August 16 as the deadline for Bovada to send a written notification confirming they were complying with the cease-and-desist order.

Bovada Added Ohio to the List of Restricted States 

The gaming platform has already updated its FAQ list of US states where its services are not available anymore. 

Ohio, which is a top-10 market aimed at American sports bettors, has therefore joined 10 other states on the list, including Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia. 

The Buckeye State generated a handle of $11.8 billion during the first year and a half of wagering after the official launch at the start of 2023. 

The figure includes $4.1 billion through the first half of 2024 as state tax revenue reached $87.6 million in total.

Bovada’s FAQ also instructs bettors who still have balances in Ohio and other restricted states on what to do to retrieve their funds. 

In short, they are advised to get in touch with the customer service department and inquire about additional information or ask for a withdrawal using cryptocurrency.

Second Cease-and-Desist Letter in Two Months 

The latest cease-and-desist letter received by Harp Media from the OCCC has been added to the letter sent by the Michigan Gaming Control Board last month. 

However, it is speculated that Connecticut has followed suit and sent a similar letter in July. 

In the strongly-worded letter, OCCC’s executive director Matthew T. Schuler argued that Bovada served as an unlicensed online casino, sportsbook, and poker room in Ohio while enabling 18-years-olds to engage in gambling.

As per the cease-and-desist letter, while Bovada displays information that says all users need to be the minimum age to gamble in their own jurisdiction, on several occasions in the sign-up procedure the company mentions 18 as the minimum age to play.

A spokesperson for the commission told Sports Betting Dime that they will keep ensuring “entities seeking to offer casino gaming, skill games, fantasy contests or sports gaming in Ohio do so in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.”

The spokesperson added the OCCC will employ “civil and criminal tools” to tackle “gaming products being offered illegally in the state.”

At the moment, casino gaming is only authorized at four casino facilities, each with its own “specifically designated land parcel” in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo, and within Franklin County (Columbus).