John Cerasani Barred from Strip Casinos After Promoting Black Market Bookie
Posted on: September 19, 2025, 09:00h.
Last updated on: September 19, 2025, 09:00h.
- John Cerasani has been barred from multiple Las Vegas Strip casinos
- The influencer promoted an unregulated sportsbook on his social feed
- He has nearly 800K Instagram followers
John Cerasani, a social media influencer and self-proclaimed “greatest blackjack player to ever walk the land,” is now persona non grata at several of the largest Las Vegas Strip casino resorts after he promoted an unregulated offshore internet casino and sportsbook on his Instagram feed.
Cerasani, who has 614K followers on one Instagram account and 173K on another, recently promoted MyBookie.ag on the social media platform. That company is based in Curacao and doesn’t hold licenses to offer iGaming and sports wagering in any US state, but has been the subject of cease-and-desist orders in this country. In January, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) issued such a letter to the operator, noting MyBookie flouted the state’s Gaming Control and Revenue Act and its Internet Gaming and Revenue Act.
As indicated in the pictures below of a scantily clad female, Cerasani recently endorsed MyBookie on Instagram, and it appears his relationship with the illicit bookmaker was financial because he highlighted a promotional code to his followers.
iGaming is legal in just seven states, while sports wagering is permitted in 39. The gaming industry’s primary selling points in their pitches to state regulators to get those forms of wagering approved are promises of tax revenue and consumer safeguards — points threatened by black market, offshore operators.
A source speaking on the condition of anonymity told Casino.org that multiple Las Vegas casino operators, unwilling to run the reputational and regulatory risk of being associated with endorsers of illegal gaming sites, have barred Cerasani from their properties.
Tribal Casinos Also Ban Cerasani Over MyBookie Flap
The source also told Casino.org that Cerasani has been barred by Foxwoods in Connecticut, Hard Rock International, and Seminole Gaming.
The Seminole Tribe runs casinos in Florida bearing the Hard Rock name while Hard Rock International operates the other casinos sporting that brand in the US and around the world. In other words, it’s an expansive list of gaming venues the social media influencer can no longer wager at, including Hard Rock Casino Rockford in Illinois, which is near his hometown of Chicago.
It’s believed Hard Rock and Seminole were among the first gaming entities to take action upon learning Cerasani was pushing MyBookie to his Instagram followers. Though not surprising, the move is prudent from a regulatory perspective. In addition to holding a sports betting monopoly in Florida, Hard Rock Digital offers online sports wagering in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Arizona and Tennessee are among the members of that group that have been particularly active in issuing cease-and-desist letters to unlicensed gaming companies attempting to do business in those jurisdictions, and both have been successful in banishing some of those operators.
Cerasani Employs Familiar Influencer Tactics
In an effort to better connect with younger bettors, casinos, including those in Las Vegas, have liberalized their filming rules in recent years. Filming was once prohibited on casino floors, but in hopes of luring more social media-savvy Gen Zers and millennials, gaming companies have relaxed old protocols.
That’s opened the door for a wave of influencers, including Cerasani, to become “internet famous,” leveraging casinos and purported winnings as foundations for amassing followers and endorsement deals. Cerasani’s tactics are familiar and smack of ploys used by penny stock and memecoin traders. Lots of bravado, machismo, and talk of big money.
“A former W-2’er trying to share his path to a NOT GEN POP life. Entrepreneur. Venture Capitalist. Winner. The best blackjack player to ever walk the land,” according to his YouTube page.
“Gen pop” is prison parlance for “general population.” In this case, Cerasani is implying that his gambling successes have helped him avoid the rat race and live an extraordinary life.
Last Comments ( 14 )
Bally’s Chicago doesn’t mind being associated with John Cerasani and his offshore gambling promos!
John is on his social media claiming Hard Rock mailed him a letter! It says he can appeal! Take that, little buddies! Hard Rock needs John’s action.
I deleted them because I am a scumbag drifter who takes advantage of people who think they can win all the time with smaller bankrolls. I am worth 40 mil but somehow I still need the exposure on social media to feed my ego. I don’t need the money. I do this for fun. I say that but I get mad like a toddler when people don’t like me. I sell a book and janky tshirts not for the money but for fun. Have I told you about all of the celebrities I’ve met? Take a look at any random wall in my house- you’ll see one that I’ve met. (The walls other than the ones with pictures of myself of them of course). Have I told you pals how much I love myself? Buy my book, I’ll throw in a paperweight coin. I can’t hold conversations with the people I’m with a dinner so it’s imperative that I sit at the bar and have a steak dinner. This will allow me a quick out to talk to the workers when we’re not talking about me. Winners winner pal.
Hey John why did you delete all the MyBookie promo posts from your main IG acct but keep them all up on your side account TheRealJohnCerasani—which is where you livestream from since getting banned from livestreaming on your main account?
John just posted a video claiming he’s only banned from one casino. Why no big blackjack tournament this weekend, John?
He’s already trying to get his followers to use his code for a different online gambling platform. And for his sports betting picks. Now he’s claiming he’s going to ‘expose’ Hard Rock and other casinos. Even though he’s definitely begging every casino that banned him to let him return. And threatening to sue them. He blocks anyone who questions him or calls him out. Good that a reporter published this because there is no way John will tell the truth about why he’s banned.
John, why did you delete all of your mybookie posts on Instagram if the authors facts weren't correct?
Looks like John Cerasani can't play in Philly or Atlantic City casinos. He has streamed since this article came out. Why would he jeopardize his business model as a BJ player to promote an offshore illegal bookie and casino site??? Why??? What was he thinking?
This entire article is true. I also sometimes like to whine when people tell the truth. If this were my IG page, I’d block you in no time.
This guy is a very strange drifter. Says he made tens of millions off selling his company but then sells tshirts and a pamphlet as well as became an “influencer”? Also someone should look into his followers and subscriber amounts. Up and down all the time. Usually an act of buying followers or subs. Also his entire idea of winning is based off leaving when you’re up and having a large enough bankroll. That can be good but it’s likely that the majority of his following doesn’t consist of people with disposalable income or trust funds. He’s selling a pipe dream. Pretty much everything he has done in the public eye in the prior 10 years has failed. Podcasts, self published books, relationships, etc.
John, you mad?
I see his daughter Anastasia Cerasani is involved in promoting this offshore illegal bookie site. This is crazy! I really thought this guy was on the up and up. Just another internet scammer trying to make as much money as possible from their followers. Terrible!
Ummm, how about you do some research before you post an article like this and get your "facts" straight, or better yet, don't just make sh*t up? You'll be hearing from my lawyers, little buddies.
Cerasani has posted so many live streams of him gambling on and in business with My bookie.ag it's a joke! He lies about his wins, never posts his huge losses. Bets $500 per hand and thinks he's the biggest BJ player on the planet! He's a fraud!