Michigan Sends 33 Cease-and-Desist Letters to Offshore Operators

The named operators include Azartzona Casino, Basepoker, BingoMania, BitofGold, Cryptoplay, Del Oro Casino, Detective Slots, Donbet, iWild Casino, mBit Casino and Raging Bull Slots.

Self-Exclusion Does Not Travel to Unlicensed Sites

The regulator included a second cautionary note in the headline of its report. Players who have enrolled in Michigan’s self-exclusion programs are not afforded the same protections when playing on unlicensed sites.

That distinction is likely relevant to anyone involved in the business of traffic routing. A self-excluded player who is blocked from accessing a licensed operator’s site is not similarly prevented from accessing an offshore site.

Three Platforms Have Now Stepped Back in One Year

The letters follow a separate line of action against event contracts. Coinbase Financial Markets agreed on 7 October to stop offering new sports-related event contracts to Michigan customers by 12:00 a.m. Eastern on 10 October. It also agreed to close out remaining open positions by that deadline.

Robinhood Derivatives reached a nearly identical agreement earlier, and the state obtained a preliminary injunction against KalshiEX. Counting the Coinbase stipulation, three platforms have withdrawn these products from Michigan under state pressure within a single year. The tally is a 15M count of the board’s own announcements.

"Coinbase joining Robinhood and Kalshi in stepping back from these unlicensed sports contracts underscores Michigan’s commitment to enforcing its gaming laws," said Henry Williams, executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

Prediction Markets Framing Is the Contested Point

Michigan characterizes the products as sports betting in the guise of federally regulated prediction markets. The operators contend otherwise, and that is the issue at stake in the Kalshi litigation. Williams mentioned that operators are stopping this because they will be under significant legal exposure if they continue offering them in the state.

The board hasn’t indicated if additional letters will be sent. The deadline for Coinbase has passed, so now it’s just a matter of what will happen with Kalshi.