Michigan Orders 33 Offshore Gambling Operators to Stop Serving Residents

DETROIT – Michigan regulators have ordered 33 offshore gambling operators to stop serving residents, warning that self-excluded players lack protection on unlicensed sites.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board said the sites were offering online casino games, sweepstakes-style products or sports betting without a state license. The action adds a responsible gambling focus to the state’s ongoing crackdown on offshore operators.

In its latest enforcement notice, the MGCB said licensed operators must honor Michigan’s Internet Gaming and Sports Betting Responsible Gaming Database, while offshore operators are under no such obligation.

Self-Exclusion Gap Raises Player Protection Concerns

Michigan’s responsible gaming database allows people to voluntarily exclude themselves from licensed online gambling. Operators participating in the regulated market must prevent enrolled players from accessing covered gambling services.

The MGCB warned that those protections do not automatically extend to offshore sites. A person who has self-excluded in Michigan could still be allowed to register, deposit funds and gamble with an unlicensed operator, while the state regulator may have limited ability to assist with account or payment disputes.

“Choosing to self-exclude is one of the hardest and most courageous decisions a person can make, and in Michigan’s legal market, that choice is respected. Offshore sites don’t respect it. They will take a deposit from someone who has asked for help, and the MGCB has no way to help that person get it back. These 33 letters put operators on notice that our residents are not an untapped market, and that anyone who thinks they can ignore our protections will hear from us.”

Henry Williams
Executive Director, Michigan Gaming Control Board

Michigan has also expanded its Gamban program, providing residents with free access to software designed to block gambling websites and apps across supported devices.

MGCB Identifies Casino, Sweepstakes and Betting Sites

The 33 operators targeted include Azartzona Casino, BingoMania, iWild Casino, mBit Casino, Raging Bull Slots, Regal Casino and Sportsbook, Sloto’Cash Online Casino, Spin Dinero and SpinsTopia, among others.

MGCB investigations found that the companies were making gambling products available to Michigan residents without state authorization. Licensed operators are subject to requirements covering game testing, responsible gambling controls, customer funds and regulatory oversight that do not apply to offshore sites operating outside Michigan’s framework.

The enforcement is based on the state’s Lawful Internet Gaming Act, Lawful Sports Betting Act and related statutes. Companies that continue serving Michigan customers after receiving cease-and-desist directives could face further action involving the Michigan Department of Attorney General.

Michigan Continues Offshore Gambling Crackdown

The latest action follows a larger enforcement round announced in April, when the MGCB sent notices to 45 offshore operators over a four-month period.

The regulator is also urging residents to verify that a gambling platform is authorized before opening an account or depositing money. Suspected illegal gambling operations can be reported directly to the MGCB.

By emphasizing self-exclusion in the latest enforcement action, Michigan is highlighting not only whether offshore operators are licensed but also the consumer safeguards that can disappear when players move outside the regulated market.

RELATED TOPICS: Regulation