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Compliance Updates

MGCB cracks down on 13 illegal offshore gambling websites targeting state residents

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2 months ago

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Action aims to safeguard Michigan players from unregulated, high-risk gambling practices

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has taken swift and decisive action against 13 illegal offshore gambling websites, which were found to be unlawfully targeting Michigan residents. The websites in question—Captain Jack Casino, Casino Brango, Ducky Luck Casino, El Royale Casino, Jazz Casino, Jazz Sports Casino Racebook, Looselines, Planet 7 Casino, Red Dog Casino, Royal Oak Casino, Silver Oak Casino, Skybook, and Slots of Vegas—were operating without proper state licenses, in clear violation of Michigan law.

The operators of these sites, based in jurisdictions including Curaçao, Costa Rica, and the Autonomous Island of Anjouan, have been issued cease-and-desist orders by the MGCB. The action comes as part of ongoing efforts to protect Michigan’s residents from unregulated gambling practices and ensure the integrity of the state’s gaming industry.

Protecting Michigan Residents from Illegal Gambling Risks “These illegal gambling websites put Michigan residents at significant personal and financial risk,” said Henry Williams, Executive Director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board. “Our priority is to maintain a secure and regulated gaming environment. These websites not only violate Michigan’s laws but also engage in deceptive practices that endanger consumers, including withholding winnings and imposing unfair wagering requirements.”

The websites, which allowed Michigan players to gamble using a variety of payment methods—such as credit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies—engaged in dishonest practices, such as restricting withdrawals and demanding players meet high, often unreasonable, wagering thresholds before accessing their funds. This leaves users vulnerable to financial exploitation and undermines the fairness of the gambling experience.

In addition to financial risks, these offshore operators do not meet Michigan’s standards for responsible gaming, consumer protection, or data security, putting users at further risk of fraud and identity theft.

A Strong Message to Offshore Operators

The MGCB’s action serves as a firm warning to illegal offshore operators attempting to skirt Michigan’s legal framework. The cease-and-desist letters instruct the operators to cease all unlawful activities within 14 days of receipt. If the operators fail to comply, the MGCB will work with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office to pursue legal action against these entities.

How Michigan Residents Can Protect Themselves

The MGCB strongly encourages Michigan residents to be vigilant and only engage with online gambling sites that are authorized and licensed by the State of Michigan. To assist players in identifying legal operators, the MGCB provides a list of approved platforms on its official website at Michigan.gov/MGCB.

Residents who suspect illegal gambling activity or who encounter suspicious online platforms are urged to report it immediately. Tips can be submitted by calling the MGCB hotline at 1-888-314-2682 or by emailing [email protected].

Commitment to Ensuring a Safe Gaming Environment

The Michigan Gaming Control Board remains unwavering in its commitment to preserving the integrity of Michigan’s gaming market. The MGCB continues to monitor the online gaming landscape closely to ensure all operators comply with state regulations and uphold the highest standards of consumer protection, fairness, and security.

“These relentless actions are part of our ongoing effort to provide a transparent and trustworthy gaming environment for all Michigan residents,” Williams added. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect players and maintain the integrity of Michigan’s regulated gaming industry.”

Gambling in any form is for entertainment purposes only. If you or someone you know may have a gambling problem, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER, text 800GAM, or visit www.1800gamblerchat.org. Help is available 24/7 and is free and confidential.

The post MGCB cracks down on 13 illegal offshore gambling websites targeting state residents appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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ACDV certification

GoldenRace becomes the first and only Virtual Sports provider certified for Retail in Colombia

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12 hours ago

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June 18, 2025

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GoldenRace, leading B2B provider of Virtual Sports and betting solutions, has become the first and only Virtual Sports provider officially authorised to operate in Colombia’s Retail betting market under the new ACDV regulation.

The certification is based on ACDV (Virtual Racing and Sports Betting) standards, published by Coljuegos, Colombia’s national gambling authority, at the end of last year (2024) as part of a new regulatory framework for Virtual Sports in the Retail sector, outlined in Resolution No. 20241200028984.

With this updated certification now in force, GoldenRace proudly leads the way, allowing betting shops across Colombia to legally continue offering its award-winning Virtual Sports portfolio – including bestsellers like Virtual Football, Horse Racing, and Greyhound Racing – fully compliant with the latest national requirements.

“This process involved extensive testing at a prestigious, internationally accredited laboratory,” explained  Julio César Duque, LatAm Director at GoldenRace. “For us, it’s a clear confirmation of the strength of our portfolio and how well our solutions perform in Colombia.”

With the ACDV certification now active, the company is expanding its market-leading Virtual Sports content to Retail, giving local operators more.

“After a successful GAT Colombia 2025 and with the Peru Gaming Show on the horizon, we’re thrilled to keep growing in LatAm,” added Martin Wachter, CEO & Founder of Softquo, the Holding behind GoldenRace. “Colombia holds a special place for us: it’s home to one of our offices and our reforestation initiatives. We are deeply proud that its Retail operators can now enjoy the best of GoldenRace through this new certification.”

The post GoldenRace becomes the first and only Virtual Sports provider certified for Retail in Colombia appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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AGCO

AGCO: Casino Days Penalized $54,000 for Deceptive and High-Risk Bonus Offer

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15 hours ago

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June 18, 2025

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued a $54,000 monetary penalty alleging Well Played Media, Unipessoal LDA promoted a deceptive bonus on its Casino Days website. The bonus offer is alleged to have encouraged high-risk behavior and failed to properly disclose key terms.

The AGCO launched an investigation triggered by a player who complained that more than $8500 in winnings had been confiscated by Casino Days. The investigation reviewed a so-called “welcome bonus” that promised new players up to $2000.

However, to qualify for the full bonus amount, players had to:

Deposit $2000 of their own money;

Wager $70,000 (35 times the deposit);

Keep each wager at or under $5; and

Complete all wagering requirements within 7 days.

Investigators also found that certain terms of the bonus offer were difficult to find, buried behind multiple links on the site.

AGCO’s analysis showed that the average player would first lose $3640 trying to earn the $2000 bonus.

According to Ontario’s igaming rules, registered operators must not offer bonus promotions that encourage harmful gambling behavior and fail to disclose key conditions appropriately. Further, operators are not permitted to entice players with bonuses that cannot reasonably be attained without significant gambling losses.

These rules are in place to protect players and support a safe, regulated market—one that stands in contrast to the risks of unregulated gambling sites.

An igaming operator served with an Order of Monetary Penalty by the AGCO Registrar has the right to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.

“Player protection is a non-negotiable priority for the AGCO. We expect operators to be truthful and transparent about their promotions, and we also require them to ensure that those promotions do not encourage reckless or harmful patterns of play. An offer that requires a player to sustain substantial losses for a perceived benefit is not a fair offer. This penalty sends a clear signal that we will not hesitate to take action against operators who fail to meet their obligations to protect Ontario players,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO.

The post AGCO: Casino Days Penalized $54,000 for Deceptive and High-Risk Bonus Offer appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Australia

ACMA: TAB Penalised $4 Million for Spamming VIP Customers

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15 hours ago

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June 18, 2025

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Tabcorp Holdings Limited (TAB) has been penalised $4,003,270 for sending more than 5700 marketing messages to customers of its VIP Programme that broke Australia’s spam laws.

An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found that TAB sent 2598 SMS and WhatsApp messages to VIP customers between 1 February and 1 May 2024 without providing an option to unsubscribe from the messages.

The ACMA also found that 3148 SMS and WhatsApp messages did not contain adequate sender information across the same period, and 11 SMS messages were sent without consent between 15 February and 29 April 2024.

Authority Member Samantha Yorke said the breaches were deeply concerning as they involved non-compliance by a large and established gambling provider that targeted VIP Programme customers.

“This is the first time the ACMA has investigated and found spam breaches in a gambling VIP program. These programs often involve personalised messages offering incentives such as bonus bets, deposit matching, rebates and offers of tickets to sporting and other events.

“The gambling industry needs to understand that spam laws apply to all direct marketing—whether it’s generic campaigns or personalised messages,” Ms Yorke said.

“VIPs should not be confused with gambling ‘high-rollers’. These types of gambling VIP programs can involve customers who are not well off and are experiencing significant losses,” Ms Yorke said.

“It is utterly unacceptable that TAB did not have adequate spam compliance systems in place.”

Under the Spam Act 2003, businesses must have consent before sending marketing messages. Messages sent with consent must also contain a working unsubscribe option and information about the sender.

“When people make choices to unsubscribe from a service they must be able to do so easily and their decisions must be respected by companies,” Ms Yorke said.

TAB has also entered into a 3-year court-enforceable undertaking. This includes an independent review of its direct marketing systems, making improvements, running quarterly audits of its VIP direct marketing, training staff and reporting to the ACMA regularly.

“The ACMA will be watching closely to ensure TAB meets its commitments and complies with the spam laws in future,” Ms Yorke said.

Cracking down on gambling safeguards and spam rules are current compliance priorities for the ACMA. Over the last 18 months businesses have been penalised over $16.9 million for spam breaches.

The post ACMA: TAB Penalised $4 Million for Spamming VIP Customers appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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