Louisiana and Mississippi regulators sent more than 50 cease-and-desist letters to sweepstakes casino operators on the same day New York Sen. Joseph Addabbo’s Senate Bill 5935 reached the desk of Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry Vetoed Anti-Sweepstakes Bill
Last week, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed a bill that would’ve outlawed online sweepstakes gaming in the Pelican State. Landry said after rejecting the bill that regulators did not need it to effectively enforce the rules.
Sen. Adam Bass’ SB 181 was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives earlier this month and passed in the Senate by a 39-0 vote at the end of April.
SB 181 would have banned sweepstakes casinos and social casinos that operate under a dual-currency system. It also prohibited online casino-style games, including slot machines, lottery games, and sports betting.
Louisiana Regulator Sent C&D Letters To Sweepstakes, Illegal Operators
Following Landry’s veto, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB) announced a series of decisive enforcement actions. It sent more than 40 cease-and-desist letters to sweepstakes and other illegal operators on Tuesday.
In addition to sweeps operators, the LGCB also noted that it recently contacted Harp Media, which operates offshore sportsbook giant Bovada, to cease operations in the state.
“These actions send a clear message,” LGCB Chair Christopher Hebert said in a release. “Louisiana will not tolerate illegal operators who put our citizens at risk and undermine the fairness and integrity of our gaming industry. We will continue to use every enforcement tool available to protect the public and uphold the law.”
Mississippi Now Cracking Down On Illegal Gambling Operators
Earlier this legislative session, the Mississippi Senate became the first chamber in the US to pass a sweepstakes ban. However, Sen. Joey Fillingane’s Senate Bill 2510 died after being returned to the same chamber after being amended to include sports betting language.
Fillingane’s bill would have increased criminal penalties for offering illegal online gambling in the state while also banning online sweepstakes gaming. Violators would have been subject to felonies, punishable by up to $10,000 in fines and up to 10 years in prison.
On Tuesday, the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) issued 10 cease-and-desist letters to illegal online gambling operators. The MGC noted that even though sites offer free-to-play games, “if there is an opportunity for the player to provide consideration and win something of value, and an element of chance exists in the game outcome, it is gaming under Mississippi law.”
“Our laws are clear that casino style gaming and sports wagering are not allowed online in Mississippi outside of a licensed casino,” MGC Executive Director Jay McDaniel said in a release.
“The MGC will aggressively pursue both domestic and offshore operators, and the MGC is currently providing criminal case files to both our state and federal law enforcement partners and requesting prosecution.”