The Arizona Department of Gaming (“ADG”) has taken action against an overseas gaming company in Curaçao that is allegedly operating illegal online gaming sites, Bovada.com and Bovada.lv (Bovada), accessible to Arizona residents. Following an investigation into the matter, the ADG sent a cease-and-desist letter to Harp Media B.V., which operates Bovada, on November 8, 2024.

The operation of Bovada in Arizona is alleged to be a felony criminal enterprise and Bovada has been directed to desist from any future illegal gambling operations or activities of any type in Arizona. Due to the unregulated and illegal online gaming offerings on Bovada, Harp Media B.V. is claimed to be in violation of Arizona gaming laws, including:

1. Promotion of Gambling (Felony) — Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-3303.
2. Illegal Control of an Enterprise (Felony) — Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-2312.
3. Money Laundering (Felony) — Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-2317.

Harp Media B.V. has been directed to immediately cease all online (or other) gambling operations and activities in Arizona, and take the necessary steps to immediately prevent and exclude Arizona residents from gambling on their websites.

“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,” said Jackie Johnson, Director of the ADG. “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.”

In light of these developments, the Arizona Department of Gaming urges residents to exercise caution with online gaming activities. Only legal, regulated operations provide important consumer protections not found in the illegal market, helping ensure a safer experience for participants. Certain online event wagering is legal in Arizona. A list of all licensed and regulated event wagering operators legally taking bets in Arizona can be found on the Department’s website at gaming.az.gov.

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Bettors in Arizona wagered approximately $732 million on sports in September of 2024, according to a new report by the Arizona Department of Gaming. This represents an approximate 20% increase when compared to September of 2023.

The state collected approximately $3.96 million in privilege fees in the month. You can view the full September report on the ADG website: LINK.

Internet Vikings, a licensed in-state hosting provider for iGaming and online sports betting, has received official approval from the Arizona Department of Gaming to launch its VMware-based private cloud hosting solutions. This achievement allows the company to provide secure and scalable hosting for licensed operators taking sports betting wagers across Arizona, fully complying with the Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C).

This builds on Internet Vikings’ success in May 2023, when the company became the first online sports betting hosting provider fully licensed in Arizona. The VMware cloud solutions provided by Internet Vikings meet the regulatory and operational demands of the market, ensuring operators in the state can count on compliant infrastructure.

“Our VMware cloud hosting solutions are designed to support the iGaming and online sports betting markets with the highest levels of performance, security, and compliance. The team is pleased to continuously meet the requirements set forth by the states, and this most recent authorization in Arizona is a great step forward for us,” said Rickard Vikström, CEO and Founder of Internet Vikings.

“By offering private cloud hosting on VMware, Internet Vikings ensures clients have access to assured redundancy, disaster recovery, and on-demand scaling. This technology provides exceptional resource optimization and our team is ready to support businesses in taking full advantage of its features,” said Kristoffer Ottosson, COO at Internet Vikings.

With a presence now firmly established in Arizona, Internet Vikings continues supporting online sports betting operators in complying with state regulations while delivering the infrastructure best suited to the customers needs.

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