SWC Sends Cease and Desist Demands to Three More Illegal Sportsbooks

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council (SWC) issued cease and desist demands to three more unlicensed offshore sportsbooks, Costa Rica-based Heritage Sports, Belize-based Thunderpick, and Curacao-based Voltage Bet, demanding they shutter operations in Tennessee.

Heritage Sports, Thunderpick, and Voltage Bet are operating within the borders of Tennessee in violation of the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act, unlawfully accepting wagers without a license.

In contrast to sportsbooks licensed to do business in Tennessee, unlicensed operators do not offer any of the same consumer protections the law requires of licensed entities, such as prohibiting individuals under 21 years old from wagering and refusing to allow wagering on credit. Many unlicensed sportsbooks target underage players and use predatory credit practices to entice new players. If a consumer continues to do business with an unlicensed sportsbook, they are giving away their personal and financial information to criminals.

Also, any businesses in Tennessee working in conjunction with unlicensed, offshore sportsbooks could face criminal penalties. Those interested can always go to tn.gov/swac for a list of licensed sportsbooks approved to do business in Tennessee.

Eliminating illegal, unlicensed sportsbooks from Tennessee is a primary focus of the SWC with its mission to protect the public interest of Tennessee through a safe and regulated sports betting environment.

“Not all sportsbook apps or websites available online are licensed to do business in Tennessee, but they will gladly take a patron’s money and personal information, regardless of their age. When something goes wrong – such as the unlicensed sportsbook refusing to return winnings or misusing or selling personal information - the patron will not have any recourse through the Sports Wagering Council.” SWC Executive Director Mary Beth Thomas said. “We continue to work closely with our network of law enforcement at the state and federal levels to shut down these risky illegal enterprises and protect Tennesseans.”

The Sports Gaming Act authorizes the Council to impose a $10,000 fine for the first offense of accepting wagers without a license, which rises to $15,000 for the second offense, and $25,000 for the third offense. Subsequent offenses may lead to the imposition of a $25,000 fine for each occurrence, with an occurrence being a single wager accepted in Tennessee.

Ahead of football season, the SWC is reminding everyone that wagering with an unlicensed sportsbook by anyone of any age while located in Tennessee is illegal. Unlicensed sportsbooks can often be identified by these factors, all of which are illegal in Tennessee:

• Allowing individuals under 21 to wager;
• Extending credit;
• Wagering with cryptocurrency; and
• Offering casino games, such as slots or online poker, or chance-based wagers, such as the coin toss or the color of the Gatorade.

About the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council

The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council’s primary role is to protect the public interest of Tennessee through a safe, regulated sports gambling environment. The SWC oversees the licensing and registration process for online sports wagering operators, sports wagering vendors, and fantasy sports operators, and monitors and enforces compliance with the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act and the Tennessee Fantasy Sports Act and related rules, including the assessment of the State’s privilege tax on sportsbooks.

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