Michigan Gaming Control Board continues cease-and-desist campaign
The Michigan, US, gaming regulator has continued its tirade against operators it says are illegally offering their services to players. The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has sent cease-and-desist letters to another cohort of 11 operators it says are offshore but targeting players in the Great Lakes State.
The companies, which include Shazam Casino, Highway Casino and SlotsRoom, have been given 14 days from receipt of their letter to cease the activity or face potential legal action.
“The illegal gambling websites in question offer various payment methods, including credit cards, PayPal and cryptocurrencies to lure Michigan players into risky gambling environments,” the MGCB said.
“However, these platforms engage in deceptive practices, including withholding winnings and imposing excessive wagering requirements.
“Many players have reported that they are required to wager their deposits multiple times before being allowed to access their winnings, a practice that is not only unethical but also in violation of Michigan’s legal protections for gamblers.”
The regulator has significantly stepped up enforcement actions against offshore operators in the past year, sending cease-and-desist letters to a multitude of companies.
49 licensed igaming operators live in Ontario at the 3-year mark
- $1.1 billion in cash wagers April 2022
- $7.1 billion in February 2025
The number of operators in Ontario’s regulated igaming market has slipped under 50 (49), with the number of gaming websites in the province at 84 – still an impressive achievement as the market celebrates its three-year anniversary today.
Canadian Gaming: Strong Regulatory Measures
That’s in addition to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s Proline platform of course.
Last month, Fitzdares announced it was pulling out. Still, with Alberta set to join Ontario with its own regulated igaming market, likely in Q1 2026, today is a day to reflect on just how far Ontario has come.
Ontario’s iGaming market is a rising star in the gaming industry, showing impressive growth as it steps into its third year. This success boils down to effective regulatory measures, diverse market adoption, and strong consumer protection,” said Paul Burns, Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) President and CEO.
17 Licensed Gaming Sites in Month 1
Back on April 4, 2022, legal sports betting had its formal kickoff ceremony, hosted by CGA, at the Toronto Stock Exchange.
“I think there’s a lot to lend itself to the market here in Ontario,” iGaming Ontario Board Chair Dave Forestell told the audience that morning. “Of course there’s a large population. I think we have a very competitive kind of revenue share tax rate. There’s a huge book of games that are available to players that each of [the licensed sports books] will be able to offer. But also the dynamic capital markets here. I really hope that that becomes a feature of the success of gaming in Ontario going forward.”
$280 Million in Revenue in February
By end of day 17 gaming sites were fully registered and approved operators in Ontario.
Boy have things changed since then. According to iGO market performance data, bettors put down CAD$1.079 billion in cash wagers that first month (CAD$43.9 million non-adjusted gross gaming revenue). This past February, that number was at CAD$7.125 billion (CAD$280.1 NAGGR). There were 277,000 active player accounts that first month. In February there were 1.12 million.
Happy Anniversary Ontario! Congratulations to my fellow industry friends and colleagues – operators, suppliers, The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, iGaming Ontario, Canadian Gaming Association, alongside Minister Downey and Minister Cho – for building a successful and sustainable market that puts responsible gaming and consumer protection first. Ours is a market unlike any other, and I couldn’t be prouder for the example we are setting world-wide,” said Amanda Brewer, Senior Executive, Canadian Gaming Association, on her Linkedin feed.
https://www.intergameonline.com/igaming/news/michigan-gaming-control-board-continues-cease-and-desist-campaign