In a sweeping enforcement action, Illinois regulators have targeted nearly a dozen gaming operators in a crackdown on unlicensed sportsbooks and daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators.
Collaborating with the Illinois Attorney General’s office, the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) issued 11 cease-and-desist letters earlier this month to operators believed to be violating state gaming laws.
Ahead of Super Bowl LIX on February 9, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul called out DFS operator PrizePicks and offshore online casino and sportsbook Bovada, noting that his office had sent C&Ds to both companies. Raoul characterized the two as “alleged unlicensed sports wagering sites,” despite one being a DFS site and the other an offshore operator.
Here are the 11 additional sites that received letters from the IGB:
- Bet Any Sports
- Bet Online
- Bet US
- Blitz Studios, Inc. d/b/a Sleeper
- Book Maker
- Taild Sports Inc. d/b/a Chalkboard
- Drafters
- Heritage Sports
- Parlay Play
All 11 letters state that the IGB has reason to believe the operator in question “is engaging in unlicensed sports wagering in violation of the Illinois Sports Wagering Act and Illinois Criminal Code.” The IGB’s definition of sports wagering includes single-game wagers, parlays, props, in-play bets, exchange wagering, and pools.
States Ramp Up Offshore Efforts
In 2024, states increasingly took enforcement action against unlicensed operators, with Bovada frequently making headlines. Illinois isn’t the only state stepping up efforts in early 2025. The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) recently announced that it had sent C&Ds to nine online casinos, including Bet Any Sports. The MGCB had previously targeted Bovada, MyBookie, sweepstakes operators VGW and One Country, and skill games provider Papaya Gaming.
Most of the targeted operators in Illinois, Michigan, and other states are offshore brands. Bovada operates out of Curaçao; Bet Any Sports, Bet US, and Book Maker are based in Costa Rica, and Bet Online’s headquarters is in Panama.
DFS Under Fire in Illinois
Several operators contacted by Illinois market themselves as DFS operators, including Chalkboard, Sleeper, Drafters, and Atlanta-based PrizePicks. PrizePicks offers its Pick ‘Em against-the-house contests and Arena peer-to-peer game in more than 40 U.S. states. However, states like Arkansas, Maryland, Ohio, and West Virginia argue that against-the-house DFS contests closely resemble sports wagering. The IGB’s C&D letters to DFS brands stated, “specifically, the single-player contests you offer are not the legal multi-participant contests of skill the Illinois Supreme Court recognized.”
PrizePicks informed SBC Americas on February 7 that it is transitioning to its Arena P2P product in the state, which may not be in the crosshairs of Illinois regulators. The brand has re-entered numerous states, including Florida, after switching to the P2P version of its product.
PrizePicks also expressed encouragement over the fact that Illinois lawmakers have filed bills for the current legislative session. Sen. Lakesia Collins’ SB1224 and Sen. Bill Cunningham’s SB2145 would clarify fantasy sports law and regulate legal DFS offerings.
