The Attorney General of Minnesota, Keith Ellison, has ordered 14 unlicensed offshore sportsbooks and sweepstakes casinos to cease operations in the state by December 1, as part of a rigorous initiative to combat illegal online gambling platforms targeting residents of Minnesota.
This action comes after previous warnings issued in June by the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, which were disregarded by the operators. The platforms under scrutiny include VG LuckyLand, BetAnySports, BetUS, XBet, BetNow, BetWhale, BetOnline, Slotsandcasino, EveryGame, Bovada, Sportsbetting.com, Zula Casino, Fortune Coins, and MyBookie.
“While these online platforms, operated from outside the state and overseas, may give the impression that online gambling is legal and safe in Minnesota, I want to stress that it is not,” Ellison stated.
“Rebranding poker chips as virtual currencies does not alter the reality that these online gambling activities are illegal,” he added.
Those who do not comply by the December deadline may incur civil fines of up to $25,000 for each violation, along with potential restitution and injunctions.
This enforcement action is part of a broader national effort by state regulators to safeguard consumers from unregulated gambling platforms. Several states have recently escalated their enforcement actions against offshore operators that provide sports betting and casino-style games without the necessary licenses.
Ellison emphasized that real-money online casinos and sports betting continue to be illegal in Minnesota, despite ongoing discussions about legalization among lawmakers. Experts suggest a potential new bill could be presented in 2026.
The recent enforcement measures also target social casinos that employ virtual currencies known as sweeps coins, redeemable for cash prizes. Critics contend that this model obscures the distinction between free-to-play games and real-money gambling.
This crackdown comes shortly after Google prohibited advertisements for sweepstakes casinos on its Search and YouTube platforms, further marginalizing this contentious sector.
“By continuing to operate online gambling sites within Minnesota, these operators are likely in blatant violation of our state’s laws, and I will not tolerate it,” Ellison remarked.