Tennessee imposed a $50,000 fine on betting company Bovada for operating without a license. Despite the ban, the platform continued to accept bets from local players. As it became known, the company received a notice several months ago that it was deprived of its license. At the same time, the management continues to ignore requests.
The bookmaker ignores the regulations.
The Tennessee Betting Regulatory Board has repeatedly demanded that Bovada cease operations by sending notices to Curacao. However, the company has ignored these injunctions. Moreover, regulators have been able to place bets on the site three times, the last time on October 16. Ignoring the bans could lead to more serious financial problems for the gaming operator.
The fight against illegal bookmakers
This case was part of a significant campaign against unlicensed operators. In 2024, several US states targeted Bovada with similar bans, leading to its withdrawal from several markets. Council executive director Mary Beth Thomas said: “We recommend that Bovada users in Tennessee withdraw their funds immediately. It is important to realize that the availability of a website does not mean it is operating legally in the state.”
Tennessee’s sports betting law provides fines for illegal activity: $10,000 for a first offense, $15,000 for a second, and $25,000 for a third. The regulator required Bovada’s owner, Harp Media B.V., to allow customers to withdraw money.
However, the fines do not prevent dozens or even hundreds of bookmakers and online casinos from operating. Some of them are world-famous brands that simply cannot operate legally due to the peculiarities of local legislation. The situation is similar in neighboring Canada. If you study TwinspinCA, you can see the presence of many online casinos that are popular among the country’s residents. However, despite this popularity, many do not have an official status.
Such problems are not exclusively part of the Western world. It was recently reported that the South African economy is losing billions of dollars due to problems with the legalization of gambling.
Joint efforts with law enforcement
The Betting Council is working with state and federal law enforcement agencies to crack down on illegal bookmakers. According to a study by the American Gaming Association, U.S. residents place about 64 billion bets annually at unlicensed online betting sites. In 2022, the association asked the Department of Justice to investigate offshore companies such as Bovada.
After receiving an injunction from the Massachusetts attorney general’s office, the list of states where Bovada is banned grew to 15. However, as of October 25, Tennessee is not yet on the platform’s official list of restricted areas.
