Golden Hearts Games Ceases Operations in Michigan
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has declared the shutdown of Golden Heart Games operations within the state, following regulators' ruling that the charity-oriented sweepstakes casino was involved in illegal gambling activities.
Collaborating with the Michigan Gaming Control Board, Nessel's office commenced an investigation into the Massachusetts-based company in August 2021. The inquiry ultimately revealed that the operator's activities constituted illegal gambling in Michigan and was subsequently issued a cease-and-desist letter last year.
Notably, other sweepstakes casinos, such as Luckyland Casino and Chumba Casino operate legally in the Michigan betting market.
Michigan Cracks Down on Golden Heart Games
The Department of the Attorney General notified Golden Heart Games that it was in violation of the law for providing online gambling games without obtaining the necessary licensing from the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB).
However, the sweepstake allegedly ignored the letter and continued to operate in the state. This prompted Dana Nessel's team to threaten the company with potential legal action under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act unless they withdrew from the state.
Through her office's Alcohol and Gaming Enforcement Division, the Attorney General also obtained an Assurance of Discontinuance from Golden Heart Games on September 1st. Responding to the threat, Golden Heart Games pledged to stop its gaming activities in the state and later formalized this commitment by signing the Assurance of Discontinuance.
Unlicensed gaming robs our schools and our government of essential funding and leaves consumers unprotected,” Nessel said. “When companies like Golden Hearts attempt to circumvent Michigan’s gaming laws, they create the false impression that their games are legal and safe for consumers. My office is committed to ensuring that our gaming laws are strictly enforced and those who violate those laws are held accountable.
Related: Michigan Report Shows Drop in iGaming and Sports Betting Revenue
Purpose of Golden Heart Games
Golden Heart Games is a charity sweepstakes company based in Massachusetts that offers free-to-play online casino games, such as slots and video poker. Players make charitable donations, receive in-game currency as a result, and subsequently use this currency to wager on its online gaming offerings.
Donations are not directly allocated to the user's chosen charity; instead, the funds go to the Golden Hearts Charitable Foundation, which subsequently disburses grants to the individual donor's selected charity.
According to the information on Golden Hearts Gaming's website, the platform is accessible to individuals over the age of 18 in all U.S. states, though the minimum age requirements may differ by state.
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