Bovada Places Arizona on Restricted Access List After C&D Notice

• The Arizona Department of Gaming issued a cease-and-desist notice to Bovada last month
• The illegally operating offshore gaming company placed Arizona on its restricted access list
• It is the 17th U.S. market to be restricted by Bovada

Send a cease-and-desist notice to Bovada and they’ll put your market on the restricted access list with no questions asked. It’s a tale as old as time itself.

Bovada officially placed Arizona on its restricted access list, the 17th U.S. market, after the state’s department of gaming sent a cease-and-desist letter to Harp Media B.V., which operates the Curaçao-based company, on Nov. 8, 2024.

The notice directed Bovada to immediately cease all gambling operations and activities in Arizona, and take the necessary steps to prevent and exclude Arizona residents from gambling on their websites.

Arizona Officially Restricted

The Arizona Department of Gaming reported Bovada is in violation of the following state gaming laws:

• Promotion of gambling (felony)
• Illegal control of an enterprise (felony)
• Money laundering (felony)

The operation of Bovada is an alleged felony criminal enterprise, according to the department.

“We are actively monitoring the evolving landscape of online gaming and taking proactive steps like this helps us protect Arizona’s communities and economy from illegal activities,” Jackie Johnson, Director of the ADG, said in a press release. “Our enforcement team is committed to preventing unauthorized operations from establishing a foothold here. Arizona will not be a safe haven for unlicensed or unlawful gaming, nor will we allow unlawful entities to compromise the integrity of gaming within our state.”

The department of gaming urged Arizona residents to use caution when participating in online gambling activities and use only licensed operators.

Bovada followed its typical pattern when faced with a cease-and-desist notice. It never acknowledge receipt of the notice and did not inform the Arizona Department of Gaming it was placing the state on its restricted list.

“Engaging with unregulated online gambling platforms exposes Arizonans to significant risks, including a lack of consumer protections, potential financial losses, vulnerability to fraudulent or unethical practices, and allegations of illegal conduct. ADG’s primary focus is to safeguard the public by maintaining a safe and regulated environment. Just because a gaming website or app is accessible does not mean it is legal to operate or use in our state. ADG strongly encourages all residents to participate only in legal, licensed, and regulated gaming activities to prevent unnecessary risks,” an Arizona Department of Gaming spokesperson said to Sports Betting Dime.

Bovada Restricting Access in 17 Markets

Arizona is the latest market to be restricted in the U.S. by Bovada.

Several state regulatory gaming bodies have issued cease-and-desist letters to Bovada over the course of the last year, ordering the offshore gaming company out of their markets. Bovada has mostly agreed to these notices, restricting access to 16 states and Washington, D.C. As was the case in all of these markets, Bovada never acknowledged the notices or told the states of their plans to restrict access.

The restricted U.S. markets are as follows:

• Arizona
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Tennessee
• Washington, D.C.
• West Virginia