Bogus Social Media Ads Claim Online Casino Gaming Available in Mississippi

Posted on: November 22, 2024, 11:31h. 

Last updated on: November 22, 2024, 12:06h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Officials with MGM Resorts International and its Mississippi riverboat, the Beau Rivage, are speaking out against social media advertisements claiming online casino gambling is now available in the state.

Beau Rivage Mississippi online casino
The Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Miss. is warning the public that social media ads claiming to be affiliated with the casino resort are fake. The social media posts wrongly market the legalization of iGaming in the state, something that remains illegal. (Image: Coastal Mississippi)

The Sun Herald in Biloxi reports that numerous posts on X, Instagram, and Facebook have recently popped up suggesting that iGaming is live in Mississippi. The ads are from a bogus page called “Beau Rivage Casino” and unlawfully promote an illegal gambling app using the Gulf property’s likeness.

“The official Beau Rivage app is now available online. Enjoy the game and luck will definitely be on your side,” the posts read, seemingly generated by AI or a foreigner with little understanding of how casino marketing works in the US.

The ads suggest new users will receive a welcome bonus of up to $1,000 and 100 free slot spins.

Casino Warning

Beau Rivage and state officials at the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) are warning the public to avoid the dubious app being marketed on social media.

That’s a hoax,” Jay McDaniel, executive director of the MGC, told the Sun Herald. “That’s not us,” added Mary Cracchiolo Spain, public relations director for MGM’s regional operations.

Only seven states permit online casinos, and Mississippi isn’t one of them. Mississippi also doesn’t allow mobile sports betting, though Beau Rivage does make its BetMGM Online Sportsbook app available for Beau Rivage guests.

Bets can be made using the BetMGM app while a patron is physically located on the Beau Rivage grounds. Once a person leaves the resort’s confines, no bets can be facilitated. The online sportsbook provides convenience for on-property guests who wish to make a sports bet without visiting the physical casino sportsbook.

An effort to expand legal, regulated sports betting to the internet failed in the Mississippi Legislature in May. State lawmakers are expected to reconsider online sports betting in 2025.

 Offshore Gaming Enterprises

Illegal, offshore gaming operators continue to target gamblers in states where such gambling isn’t permitted. The unregulated casino gaming websites and apps provide no consumer protections like fair gameplay or guarantees that bets will be paid and account withdrawals will be executed.

State gaming officials and law enforcement are limited in their ability to successfully prosecute such rogue online gambling enterprises. The American Gaming Association (AGA), the preeminent lobbying firm representing the interests of both the commercial and tribal gaming industries in Washington, DC, and in state capitals across the country, continues to call on the US Justice Department to crack down on illegal gambling operations.

Many unregulated online gambling outfits are based in Anjouan, the Caribbean, Malta, the Isle of Man, and the Philippines. The foreign-based entities often protect gambling enterprises from being prosecuted by state enforcement agencies.

Illegal online casinos operate openly and often target US customers through paid advertising. These illegal sportsbooks and casinos create numerous societal costs. In addition to violating the law, the games offered by these sites do not meet testing or regulatory standards to ensure fair play and payouts, age-verification, or security of personal and financial data,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. 

“While the challenge of illegal gambling is not new, the brazen and coordinated manner in which it occurs — both online and in communities — has elevated this problem to a level that requires significant federal attention. We urge the [Justice] Department to make it a priority to act to protect American consumers, crack down on illegal operators, and enforce federal regulations,” Miller added.