All 50 State Attorneys General Call on Justice Department to Combat Offshore Casinos
Posted on: August 6, 2025, 12:03h.
Last updated on: August 6, 2025, 09:39h.
- All 50 state attorneys general are asking the DOJ to target offshore gambling ops
- Online casino gambling is allowed in only seven states
- Offshore casinos and sportsbooks target players in prohibited markets
All 50 state attorneys general are calling on the United States Department of Justice to better enforce federal and state online gambling laws.
In a letter from the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) signed by all 50 state AGs, the group of chief legal advisors and prosecutors requests that US Attorney General Pam Bondi “address the rampant spread of illegal offshore gaming operations” across the country.
“Our States have heard reports concerning growth in the illicit offshore gambling markets that could be harming our citizens,” the letter began.
While we as States do all we can to protect our citizens, such unlawful enterprises undermine the rule of law, threaten consumer protection, and deprive our States of significant tax revenues and economic benefits. We seek the U.S. DOJ’s cooperation in ensuring these companies are brought to justice to the fullest extent available under state and federal law, both criminal and civil, for any potential violations,” the attorneys general continued.
The NAAG is a nonpartisan national forum for attorneys general that provides a community and collaborative setting to address vital issues.
Escalating Problem
Offshore gambling websites cater to players in places where online casinos aren’t allowed, which includes 43 of the 50 US states. Such fraudulent websites often operate from jurisdictions that are friendly to online gaming businesses, including the Philippines, Malta, Curacao, the Isle of Man, Anjouan, Gibraltar, and Ukraine.
While gaming regulators in those jurisdictions govern their licensed online gaming operators for fair play and some consumer safeguards, they don’t often restrict where a company’s online slots and table games are accessed. Most offshore casino platforms also offer sports betting.
In the US, states have the power to determine if iGaming is permitted. Currently, online casinos are licensed only in Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. Those states issue licenses to qualified online casino businesses such as DraftKings and FanDuel.
However, residents in the 43 other states have many options to gamble on unregulated, illegal casino websites operating overseas. The attorneys general say they have limited resources in combating and/or prosecuting such apps, but Bondi does.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) — a component of the SAFE Port Act — was signed into law by President George W. Bush. UIGEA makes it a federal crime for an overseas or domestic gambling business from “knowingly accepting payments in connection with the participation of another person in a bet or wager that involves the use of the internet and that is unlawful under any federal or state law.”
The attorneys general tell Bondi that her DOJ can pursue injunctive relief against offshore gambling organizations and has the authority to seize assets — as the federal government did on poker’s “Black Friday” in 2011.
Offshore Copying Legitimate Casinos
Casinos in the US have repeatedly had their name, image, and likeness stolen by offshore casino platforms that use their credibility to deceive consumers into thinking they run a legitimate online gambling operation.
From MGM’s Beau Rivage in Mississippi to Plainridge Park in Massachusetts and west to the Muckleshoot Casino Resort in Washington, the fraudulent ads have become rampant on social media, prompting numerous casinos to caution the public that they are illegitimate and unassociated with their land-based properties.
The attorneys general are asking that the DOJ pursue injunctive relief under federal law, seize assets and domain names of illegal offshore gaming operators, coordinate with financial institutions to block unlawful transactions, and dismantle the financial infrastructure supporting the offshore gaming ops.
Last Comments ( 3 )
This is only part of the issue. As a result of the real money poker sites not allowed in most states, the ‘free money’ sites, specifically apps like Zynga poker, are totally allowed to run wild and abuse the customers who have no other choice. Predetermined, littered with non human players allowed to be purchased on line (the Zynga bot) to assist in cheating, openly pandering to poor third world countries, and always expanding as they can’t keep loyal paying players for the game itself is so unfair and preditory. Thousands complain to everyone from the BBB to the FCC and it seems they are only interested in pursuing justice if it means a fat settlement or expensive fines. However, these free poker sites are mainly racketeers operating openly fraudulent companies whose mission is to get players to pay on an advertised free site. Not in a healthy way through marketing, great customer service, fair play, great bonuses or regulating the game for bots, bullies, abusers, ect. They claim they don’t tolerate any of these, however we tested this theory. Over 100 reports filed each against obvious cheaters, bots, ect….and no action, response, blocking. Nothing. Hence there’s zero customer service. They only ever issue automated canned responses resolving nothing. The players have been overcharged, paid for items and chips that don’t show, & been swindled out of cheap bonuses that cost 10xs what they pay. Zynga claims it’s not real gambling for its not real chips! That is untrue! It is worse than real money as we have to pay more and more trying to actually play real person to person poker. Zyngas big response the overwhelming abuse on their tables has been to claim the more expensive table you play at, the less bully abusive play. There by pushing disgruntled players to double down based on untruths. The higher more expensive tables are not only as bad, but the losses are much higher obviously. It’s clear, the justice department needs to take the thousands complaining about sites like this, and specifically Zynga poker seriously. Simply sign on and play for 20-30 minutes and you’ll see the unfairness of this game. Please take this into consideration when deciding to allow real poker. All of us who have no choice between mandatory lock downs and real money sites not available, are forced to play preditory poker sites like Zynga for we have no choice. They know it and take advantage accordingly.
The State of Nevada is a joke when it comes to gambling options for the residents. Fan dual and Draft Kings should be in EVERY state by now. Wake the fuck upon and do what's right fro your residents. !
I hope Pam Bondi sues every single state that still to this day does not allow the operation of fanduel and draftkings, and yet still had the audacity to complain to her about potential tax tevenue losses to online-offshore gambling. I hope she sues them and that each of the 43/50 states that still prohibits drafkings and fanduel has their state Attorney General called out and personally sued. They allow the worst apps to operate like doordash, grubhub, uber eats and all the rest of the trash apps, but then complain when there is a real- negative effect they can measure in the billions of dollars of lost tax revenue? What a lot of complainy cunts who deserve to be sued for DIRECTLY contributing to their own problems. States who still prohibit use of fanduel and draftkings: GET THE FUCK OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY!!!!!!!