Marching orders
Illinois has ordered over 60 iCasino and online sweepstakes entities, including Stake, to stop offering their products in the state.
In a coordinated move by the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) and the Illinois Attorney General’s office, the state gambling regulator issued over 60 cease-and-desist letters to firms allegedly operating illegal gaming platforms in the state.
Sports betting lawyer Daniel Wallach took to X on Thursday with an image of the cease-and-desist letter made out to Chumba Casino, while also naming Fliff, High 5 Casino, JefeBet, Modo, Pulsz, Sportzino, and VGW as other recipients:
The letters demand the offending firms immediately block Illinoisans from accessing their online platforms or from receiving or being offered prizes.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said those who don’t follow the letters’ instruction may be “subject to civil or criminal penalties” under state law.
Warnings issued
AG Raoul said that companies place Illinoisans “at risk and undermine the integrity of our regulated gaming market.”
Raoul added his office would continue working with the IGB “to protect our residents and hold illegal operators accountable.”
antithetical to the public’s interest in regulated gaming”
IGB Administrator Marcus D. Fruchter, meanwhile, stated in the news release that illegal online operations were “antithetical to the public’s interest in regulated gaming.”
Fruchter warned the IGB would “continue to evaluate all available regulatory and law enforcement tools” in its drive to protect Illinois residents from unlawful gambling.
Offering online games of chance, such as slots or table games or online poker, that award money or other items of value represents a violation of Illinois criminal law.
Double trouble
Those among the sixty-plus that were sent letters include LuckyLandslots.com, Shuffle.us, SweepsLasVegas.com, The Money Factory, ToraTora Casino, and Bovada’s JuicySpotSlots.
Notable among the culprits was LuckyLandslots.com, a sister brand of Chumba Casino that falls under pioneering casino sweepstakes giant Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW).
VGW came under the media spotlight last week after its CEO Laurence Escalante resigned after he was arrested in Australia for drugs and domestic violence.
