The illegal offshore sportsbook Bovada has drawn the ire of West Virginia gaming regulators. The state, via the West Virginia Lottery, delivered a cease and desist letter to the offshore sportsbook, demanding it halt attempts to lure consumers from the state.
While West Virginia sports betting is legal – with consumers able to access popular sportsbooks like BetMGM,BetRivers,DraftKings, among other operators – offshore sports betting enterprises like Bovada are unregulated and are not required to adhere to standard business practices nor applicable laws.
Consumers are in jeopardy if they choose to place bets with offshore operators like Bovada. Personal information and banking details may not be secure and could be in danger of being seized by nefarious individuals.
WV sports betting second industry to threaten Bovada
Bovada, which is based in Curaçao, has come under scrutiny in many jurisdictions in the United States for offering odds to consumers in states with legal sports betting, or even in states without.
Aside from West Virginia, three other states have threatened Bovada in the last several months, including Colorado, Connecticut, and Michigan. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission mentioned Bovada during a meeting last month when discussing possible action against offshore operators that pose a danger to that commonwealth.
Research by the American Gaming Association claims that as much as $500 million is wagered annually in the US with offshore illegal bookmakers like Bovada.
Regulators crack down on offshore betting as legal sportsbooks thrive
Law enforcement and state agencies have ramped up efforts to eliminate Bovada and other illegal sportsbooks from targeting American citizens. Since 2018, when the US Supreme Court struck down PASPA, many states have legalized sports betting. More than 30 states and the District of Columbia now have some form of legal sports betting, with most of them offering online sportsbooks available in mobile application form.
West Virginia – which could become the eighth state to block Bovada outright – has reaped the benefits of legal online sportsbooks since launching the market in 2019. Through May 2024, sportsbooks in WV have accepted over $2 billion in bets, resulting in more than $21 million in tax revenue for the state.
The Mountain State also boasts legal WV online casinos, making it one of the few states with legal sportsbooks and iGaming. Regulators, led by the West Virginia Lottery, oversee the licensing and activity.
