Michigan orders 33 illegal gambling sites to get out
Michigan gambling regulators have issued cease-and-desist notices to 33 offshore gambling operators, including mBit Casino, iWild Casino and Raging Bull Slots, after investigations found they were illegally offering online casino games, sweepstakes-style gambling and sports betting to residents.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) ordered the operators to stop providing gambling services in the state, warning that unlicensed websites operate outside Michigan’s consumer protection framework and can expose customers to significant financial risks.
The latest enforcement action targets a mixture of online casinos, betting sites and sweepstakes-style gambling platforms, with other prominent names including Sloto’Cash, Regal Casino and Sportsbook, and Spin Dinero.
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According to the regulator, investigations established that all 33 operators were accepting or targeting Michigan customers without obtaining the licences required to offer online gambling legally in the state.
The MGCB has also highlighted a particular concern involving players who have voluntarily excluded themselves from gambling, warning that offshore websites are not required to recognise Michigan’s self-exclusion programmes.
Licensed online casinos and sportsbooks must comply with the state’s Internet Gaming and Sports Betting Responsible Gaming Database, which allows individuals to voluntarily prohibit themselves from accessing regulated online gambling services.
However, those protections do not extend to offshore operators, meaning someone who has registered for self-exclusion can potentially open an account, deposit money and continue gambling through an unlicensed website.
MGCB executive director Henry Williams said the distinction represented a serious risk for people attempting to address harmful gambling behaviour.
“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,” Williams said.
“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.”
Williams warned that the enforcement action should serve as notice to offshore gambling businesses attempting to attract Michigan customers.
“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,” he said.
Michigan permits regulated online casino gambling and sports betting, but operators must obtain state approval and comply with requirements covering consumer protection, responsible gambling, financial controls and the handling of customer funds.
The regulator’s latest action forms part of a wider effort to prevent offshore gambling websites from competing with licensed operators while avoiding those obligations.
The scale of illegal online gambling in the United States remains substantial, according to research published by the American Gaming Association (AGA) in August 2025.
The industry association estimated that Americans wager approximately $673.6 billion annually through illegal and unregulated gambling channels, representing a 22% increase compared with its previous assessment in 2022.
The research also found a significant change in online casino participation, with the proportion of players using exclusively licensed websites falling from 52% in 2022 to just 24%.
Almost half of online casino players now use a combination of legal and illegal gambling platforms, according to the AGA, suggesting that many customers continue to access offshore services even where regulated alternatives are available.
Illegal sports betting also remains widespread, with the association estimating that Americans wagered approximately $84 billion through unlicensed betting sites and offshore sportsbooks during the period examined.
The findings raise additional concerns about whether consumers can reliably distinguish between licensed gambling businesses and offshore operators, particularly when unregulated websites advertise services similar to those available through legitimate sportsbooks and casinos.
For Michigan residents, the MGCB has warned that using an unlicensed gambling website can mean losing access to safeguards available through the regulated market, including self-exclusion protections and regulatory assistance when disputes arise.
The cease-and-desist notices require the named operators to stop offering gambling services to Michigan residents. However, the regulator’s announcement does not establish that all 33 websites have already been blocked.
Full list of 33 gambling operators targeted by Michigan
- Azartzona Casino
- Basepoker
- BingoMania
- BitofGold
- Cryptoplay
- Del Oro Casino
- Detective Slots
- Donbet
- Exclusive Casino
- Genie Jackpot
- Guangzhou Snail Interactive Technology Co., Ltd.
- Immersion Casino Online
- iWild Casino
- JacksPay
- Jurassic Slots
- L0tt0
- Lucky Charm Sweep
- Lucky Rebel
- Magicianbet
- mBit Casino
- Odds Maker
- Raging Bull Slots
- Regal Casino and Sportsbook (also known as Wager Street)
- Ronin Slots
- Runewager
- Slot Paradise
- Sloto Tribe
- Sloto’Cash Online Casino
- Spin Dinero
- SpinsTopia
- Stardust
- SunnySpins Casino
- The Online Casino
