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The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has issued 45 cease-and-desist orders to offshore gambling operators over the past four months, targeting platforms that accepted online casino wagers or sports bets from Michigan residents without a valid state licence.
The enforcement sweep, announced on 7 April 2026, covers operators confirmed through MGCB investigations to have been accepting wagers or offering casino-style gaming to Michigan residents without authorisation under the state’s Lawful Internet Gaming Act and Lawful Sports Betting Act.
Who Was Targeted
The 45 entities subject to orders include a range of offshore casino and sportsbook brands operating outside the state’s regulatory framework. Among those named are Americas Card Room, BetOnline.ag, SportsBetting.ag (both listed under the Chico Poker Network), Candyland Casino, buffalocasino.com, and BetAnything Sportsbook, alongside lesser-known platforms such as EddyVegas Casino, SlotBunnyCasino, Voltage Bet, ComicPlay Casino, SpinoVerse, and Ripper Casino.
Several of the named sites operate under Curacao or Belize registrations, effectively placing them outside the reach of Michigan consumer protection obligations that apply to licensed operators. The MGCB noted that players using unlicensed platforms face risks including manipulated game outcomes, withheld winnings, misuse of personal and financial data, and no meaningful dispute resolution channel.
Regulator’s Position
“The scope of this action sends a clear message: Michigan will not tolerate illegal operators targeting our residents or undermining the lawful businesses that have invested in complying with state law,” said MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams. “Our investigators work with unwavering focus to identify, document, and act against every unlicensed site that puts Michigan players at risk. This is an ongoing effort, and we will continue to take action against illegal gambling operators.”
Operators that do not comply with a cease-and-desist order face escalation to civil and criminal enforcement measures. The MGCB works with state law enforcement partners on disruption activity.
Context: A Sustained Enforcement Campaign
This wave is the largest single batch of cease-and-desist orders the MGCB has issued, though it continues a pattern of sustained enforcement that stretches back several years. Michigan’s online gaming and sports betting market, which generated $313 million in combined iGaming and sports betting revenue in February 2026 alone, has attracted consistent attention from offshore operators seeking access to its player base without meeting the state’s licensing requirements.
Michigan’s approach reflects a broader shift among US state regulators toward systematic, named-entity enforcement rather than informal warnings. Minnesota’s attorney general issued 14 cease-and-desist orders to unlicensed operators in late 2025, while US gambling enforcement actions have escalated broadly across multiple states as regulated markets mature and regulators move to protect licensed operator investment.
The MGCB urged Michigan residents to verify any platform against its official list of licensed operators before registering or depositing, and directed tip-offs about suspected illegal activity to MIGamblingTip@michigan.gov or 1-888-314-2682.
Non-compliant operators now face the prospect of coordinated civil and criminal action as Michigan’s enforcement framework targets the offshore platforms that continue to operate in the state’s regulated market.
Source: Michigan Gaming Control Board
