The state of Michigan has issued cease-and-desist orders to several gambling websites operating unlawfully in the state.
According to MLive, the Michigan Gaming Control Board's regulators sent cease-and-desist letters to 12 illegal gambling sites that were offering online sports and casino betting to Michigan residents while operating offshore.
31 Bets Casino, Betnuvo, Jackpotter, Vegas Strip Casino, and xWin90 were among the companies that found themselves on the wrong end of a letter from the state.
"Illegal online gambling sites operate without oversight, putting players at risk and undermining Michigan's secure, regulated marketplace," said MGCB executive director Henry Williams.
"We will continue to take relentless, decisive action to prevent unlicensed operators from targeting Michigan residents and ensure that all gaming is conducted lawfully and responsibly."
Gambling is a massive global industry that has seen a boom in recent years in the United States.
As individual states have begun to relax laws banning gambling and sports betting, more and more sites have sprung up or entered the U.S. market. Many of the sites don't bother to follow the regulations that each state sets out around gambling, particularly when operating offshore.
With that boom in online gambling has come new problems.
According to Gamble Aware, the ease of access to online gambling makes it far easier and more tempting to make bets and play casino games more frequently for lower amounts. Consequently, users can very quickly rack up losses far higher than they would in an in-person casino.
Gambling sites are often deliberately designed to keep users hooked and encourage them to keep playing — and their easy accessibility and affordability make it likelier that users will sink far more time and money into them than they realize.
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Never 😌 On top of that, regulations around online gambling have been slow to keep pace with developments in the sector, meaning the companies and the games they produce are often not well-regulated and leave internet users more vulnerable to scams and fraud.
However, states are finally starting to catch up, demanding more transparency from gambling companies and levying stiff penalties, including shutting the sites and apps down, when those regulations aren't followed.
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