Michigan Leaders Send Angry Letters to 5 More Online Casinos
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is at it again – trying to scare offshore gaming operators into leaving the Wolverine State. Its latest effort – publicly announced on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 – involved sending cease-and-desist letters to five operators that the MGCB contends are breaking state law. The five companies to which the letters were sent are BetWhale Casino, Black Lotus Casino, Coins Game Casino, Love2play Casino, and Orion Stars 777 Players.
What Did These Organizations Do Wrong?
According to MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams, “These illegal platforms not only violate Michigan’s gaming regulations but also put consumers at risk by offering unreliable withdrawal options and lacking essential consumer protections.” Michigan contends that by offering their services to customers within the state, these companies are breaking the Lawful Internet Gaming Act, the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act, and the Michigan Penal Code.
These online casinos have 14 days from the receipt of their letters to stop their supposedly illegal activities. Failure to comply could lead to further legal action.
About the Targeted Sites
A look at the websites of the mentioned companies shows what kinds of gaming they offer. All of them deal out traditional casino fare, like blackjack, roulette, and slots. In addition, some of them offer sports betting. None of them provide peer-to-peer poker services.
The website of BetWhale Casino, the operator mentioned first in the MGCB's press release, might be informative:
BetWhale Casino WebsiteWe can see the words “Sportsbook,” “eSports,” “Racebook,” and “Casino” along the top of the page, which tells us what types of gaming BetWhale offers. Along the middle are some of the most popular casino games. A banner promises a “250% Bonus Welcome Offer.”
Recent MGCB Activities
Though the MGCB has existed since 1997, it was only given oversight of internet gambling in 2019 when Michigan passed the Lawful Internet Gaming Act. After a relatively quiet few years, the Board began flexing its muscles.
In May 2024, the MGCB sent Bovada a letter directing the popular gaming firm to stop serving the Michigan market. Perhaps surprisingly, Bovada complied with the wishes of the Michigan authorities.
Just this year, in January, the MGCB ordered MyBookie.ag to stop doing business in Michigan. Then in February, the Board sent cease-and-desist letters to BetNow and nine other online gambling operators. The latest string of letters extends the MGCB's letter-writing streak to three months running.
Why Is the MGCB Doing This?
There are a number of online gaming regulators around the world. While some of them, like Curacao and Antigua, have reputations as laissez-faire overseers, others have been more active in asserting their power, like the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and the U.K. Gambling Commission. With its recent flurry of activity, it seems the MGCB is taking steps to align itself with the latter group.
The MGCB highlights its role in “safeguarding Michigan residents” and protecting “the interests of the citizens of Michigan.” In its recent statement, the MCGB contended that unlicensed operators take steps to try to prevent users from withdrawing their funds by requiring them to wager their deposits multiple times before cashing out. However, licensed internet gaming concerns also have similar rules, so it's not clear what the Board is trying to accomplish.
It's more likely that the MGCB is looking to protect the market share of its licensed instate online gambling providers. At the same time, it's protecting the taxes derived from such activity, which wind up in the state's coffers. Evidence for this conclusion comes from the fact that the State of Michigan seemed to care little for the alleged depredations of offshore gaming sites for several decades. Only after the institution of its own home-grown online gambling market did the authorities take a keen interest in “protecting” its residents from these businesses.
Why These Five Operators in Particular?
The names BetWhale Casino, Black Lotus Casino, Coins Game Casino, Love2play Casino, and Orion Stars 777 Players are unlikely to ring a bell with the Michigan gaming public as a whole. That's because they're second- and third-tier online gaming brands that don't have much name recognition amongst the general public.
We've already seen that the MGCB had previously taken action against more popular betting sites, like Bovada and MyBookie. This raises the question as to why it elected to go after such obscure operators this time around.
It may be the case that the authorities have already tackled what they perceive to be the most prominent of these companies. They are now working through their list, getting around to less-important items now that the big fry have already been dealt with.
One thing that's clear, though, is that the targeted sites tend to be focused on sports betting and casino gaming. Poker sites have thus far been left alone unless, like Bovada, they also offer casino and/or sports wagering. This means that many offshore poker rooms, including Bovada's sister site Ignition, continue to be able to serve Michiganders.
Still Possible to Play in Michigan
Despite the efforts of the MGCB, there are still many online gaming destinations that remain available to Michigan's residents. We believe that Ignition Casino is among the best of them. It hosts casino games and a poker cardroom although it lacks a sportsbook. When you make your initial deposit via crypto-currency, you'll get a 150% up to $1,500 casino bonus as well as a similarly sized bonus for poker. Press the button below to get started:
You can learn more about Ignition in this thorough Ignition Casino Poker review. For info on other poker sites in Michigan, check out this Michigan internet poker guide. If you reside in a different state, then you can browse over to this comprehensive overview of online poker in the United States.