Bovada Officially Done in Ohio

Bovada, one of the largest unregulated offshore sportsbook and online casino operators in the United States, has officially closed in Ohio. Governments and our best sports betting sites have all pushed to shut down unregulated sportsbooks.

Earlier this month, the Ohio Casino Control Commission sent Harp Media, which runs the Bovada brand, a cease-and-desist order to stop operating in the legal Ohio sports betting market. It looks as though the Curacao-based company has heeded the Buckeye State's warning.

The Commission, in its letter, gave Harp Media until Aug. 16 to notify them in writing of its compliance with the order. While no correspondence has yet been reported, Bovada is no longer taking wagers in the Ohio sports betting apps market and now lists the Buckeye State as one of its restricted jurisdictions in its FAQ section.

Clamping down

Bovada has been in the crosshairs of various legal sports betting jurisdictions in America since 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its blanket ban on sports betting. Efforts to stop illegal, unregulated, and unvetted mobile sportsbooks in various jurisdictions have recently increased, with Bovada taking the brunt of the regulatory scrutiny.

Ohio is the latest state to call Bovada out for its illegal processing of American’s bets. Other states on the Bovada exclusion list are Nevada sports betting, New Jersey sports betting, New York sports betting, Maryland sports betting, Connecticut sports betting, Michigan sports betting, Delaware sports betting, Colorado sports betting, and DC sports betting.

That list could certainly grow with the momentum generated by the clampdown on illegal sportsbooks operating on American soil.

Other states recent moves

The Buckeye State's move to ban Bovada piggybacks follows at least one other state’s move to do the same this year. The Michigan Gaming Control Board sent Harp Media a similar cease-and-desist letter in July, and Connecticut is rumored to have done the same.

The most recent movement against Bovada should catalyze other states to consider banning Bovada in their jurisdictions. Massachusetts sports betting and Louisiana sports betting regulators are on record all-but committing to similar action as Ohio.

Motivation

Ohio’s legal sports betting industry has thrived since going live 19 months ago, easily becoming a reliable top-10 jurisdiction. In the first 18 months of operation, Ohio’s best sportsbooks invested $11.8 billion in wagers as residents took advantage of Ohio sportsbook promos. Through the first six months of 2024, Buckeye State providers accepted $4.1 billion in wagers and generated $87.6 million in tax revenue.

Ohio is rumored to be one of the next states to welcome an iCasino industry and bring real-money online casinos to its residents. The Buckeye State could soon join neighbors Michigan online casino and Pennsylvania online casino as states with a widespread internet gambling portfolio. Just this year, those two states have generated a combined $400 million in state iGaming tax revenue.

Banning Bovada’s online casino in Ohio will help its iGaming industry if and when it goes live.