Virtual Gaming Worlds has been ordered to shut down its online casino sites in Maryland by the state’s gaming regulator.
The company which claims to be a social casino operator has been informed by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency to cease and desist by 5pm 27 March 2025.
The letter was issued just a day after Josh White, a VGW representative, testified in opposition to a Senate Bill seeking to ban online sweepstakes casinos in Maryland.
Regulate, Don’t Prohibit, Lawmakers Urged
White urged lawmakers to regulate the industry, rather than prohibit it. “VGW uses sweepstakes promotions the same way that McDonald’s and Microsoft do: as a marketing tool where players never pay for a chance to win,” explained White.
He argued the bill to ban such products is “based on misconceptions that would eliminate a well-regulated and legal form of digital entertainment while pushing Marylanders towards unregulated offshore platforms.”
The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency submitted letters in favor of both Sen. Corderman’s SB 860 and the House companion bill. The House will have a committee hearing regarding the bill on 20 March, 2025, whereas the Maryland Senate voted through the bill unanimously 47-0.
The Old Line State’s regulator has ordered VGW, if it continues to offer services deemed in breach of the state gambling regulation, to provide:
- A detailed description of the name of each casino game offering, along with its mobile link, or its retail location and trade name, if applicable;
- A detailed description of each sports wagering offering, along with its mobile link, or its retail location and trade name, if applicable;
- A detailed description of each fantasy competition offering, along with its mobile link, or its retail location and trade name, if applicable; and
- Any legal analysis or opinion interpreting Maryland Law that concludes, advises, or suggests that VGW may legally offer sports wagering, casino games or fantasy competition games in Maryland without Commission registration or licensure.
As reported in Forbes, the letter emphasizes that there is “no record of VGW being issued a sports wagering license, a casino gaming license, or registration as a fantasy competition operator.”
The regulator has also informed the company that should it fail to comply with the cease and desist order, it “may jeopardize the ability of VGW to ever be issued a license for sports wagering or gaming, registration as a fantasy competition operator, or any other license, registration or certification from the Commission in the future.”
The Crypto Strategy is Strategy
Maryland is one of twelve states in the United States of America which has reported a holding in company ‘Strategy’, the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin. By holding stock in Strategy, it is considered a way of gaining exposure to Bitcoin by proxy.
Maryland currently holds around $2.6 million in Strategy stock. Despite the general trend under President Trump of deregulation in the crypto space, there is still little to no sign of legalized crypto gambling products.
However, with Robin Hood beginning to offer sports events contracts, this may change in the near future.
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