Michigan Issues 10 New Cease-and-Desist Letters to Offshore Operators

Latest Enforcement Wave Targets Apex Dynamics

The targets—Aladdin’s Gold Casino, All Star Slots, Buzz Luck, Club World Casinos, CryptoReels, High Noon, Lucky Red Casino, Manhattan Slots Casino, ReelSpin Casino, and Slotter Casino, offer online casino games without Michigan licenses. The MGCB found these brands violate state laws, including the Lawful Internet Gaming Act, the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act, and the Michigan Penal Code. Issues include unlicensed gaming and strict payout terms, like requiring players to wager deposits multiple times before withdrawing.

Each operator got 14 days to shut down Michigan operations or face legal steps with the state Attorney General’s Office. MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams stated the agency aims to maintain industry integrity and protect consumers.

The letters flag risks like unreliable payouts, a common thread in offshore setups. Apex Dynamics’ brands join a growing list of unlicensed firms under scrutiny. The MGCB advises residents to verify operators on its website, where 15 licensed online gaming and betting platforms, like Bet365, DraftKings, and FanDuel, are listed.

This move fits a busy 2025 for enforcement. Michigan’s legal market, online sports betting and iGaming since January 2021, generated $1.9 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2024, per MGCB data, with a 22.5% tax on sports betting and 20% on iGaming netting $398 million.

Offshore operators, estimated at $300-$500 million in annual Michigan wagers by industry sources, dodge that tax. The MGCB’s latest action builds on earlier efforts to steer players to regulated sites and curb illegal cash flows.

Recent and Past Crackdowns

This isn’t Michigan’s first 2025 sweep. In February, the MGCB issued nine cease-and-desist letters to unlicensed operators: BetAnySports, CoolCat Casino, Diamond Sportsbook International, Solar Game, Busan Trade Office (Go Go Gold), My Dreams Casino, NonStop Casino, Palace of Chance, Xbet Casino, and WagerWeb.

These firms, based in jurisdictions like Costa Rica and Curaçao, offered betting and casino games without state approval. Williams noted their payout limits posed “significant risks” to players. Each got 14 days to comply or face further action, mirroring the Apex Dynamics timeline.

Early March saw five more letters go out. Those operators, also offshore with bases in China, Curaçao, and Belize, had 14 days to exit Michigan. Details on those five remain limited—names weren’t publicized—but the pattern holds: unlicensed games, offshore roots, and payout gripes.

Earlier, in May 2024, the MGCB hit Bovada, a major iGaming name, with a cease-and-desist order. Bovada complied, exiting Michigan and sparking similar moves in states like Colorado. That win set a tone, $1.5 billion in Bovada’s U.S. wagers (per 2023 estimates) shifted focus to regulated options.

Michigan’s been at this for years. Since iGaming launched, the MGCB has tracked offshore threats. In 2022, it sent letters to 11 operators, including BetOnline and SportsBetting.ag, netting compliance from most. By 2023, focus sharpened, and 15 letters went out, with firms like Everygame and Bookmaker.eu pulling back.

The 2024 Bovada takedown marked a peak, cutting a giant from Michigan’s market. This year’s 24 letters, nine in February, five in early March, and 10 now, show a ramp-up, backed by a $2 million budget boost from Governor Gretchen Whitmer for 2025 gaming enforcement.