Australian sweepstakes casino receives cease-and-desist letter from Maryland regulator
Australian sweepstakes casino operator Virtual Gaming Worlds, which is responsible for sites such as Chumba Casino and Luckyland Slots, has been sent a cease-and-desist letter by the Maryland gaming regulator, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency.
According to Forbes, the cease-and-desist order comes after a Virtual Gaming Worlds lobbyist testified against a Maryland Senate bill that would ban online sweepstakes casinos in the state.
The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency sent a letter to the operator informing it that they were operating in the state unlawfully and reiterated that the “only online gaming permitted in Maryland is mobile/online sports wagering and online fantasy competitions.”
Virtual Gaming Worlds is one of 12 operators to have received a cease-and-desist letter as the state looks to clamp down on sweepstakes operators and illegal gambling.
The letter states that the operator must either confirm that it isn’t offering online gambling in Maryland or provide detailed descriptions of its games and a legal analysis of why it may do so without a license.
The letter then asks the operator to respond that it will “cease offering any sports wagering, casino game, or fantasy competition in Maryland, and a date within 10 days from the date of this letter in which you intend to cease such operations.” The Maryland regulator emphasizes that failure to provide the requested information will make it difficult for Virtual Gaming Worlds to acquire a gambling license from the commission.
Charlotte Capewell brings her passion for storytelling and expertise in writing, researching, and the gambling industry to every article she writes. Her specialties include the US gambling industry, regulator legislation, igaming, and more.
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