Arizona orders BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc. and Raffle Creator to stop gambling activity

The Arizona Department of Gaming has issued cease-and-desist orders against five operators it says were offering gambling activity without the required licences. For PSPs and acquiring teams, the point is simple: the state is not treating this as a licensing paperwork issue, but as conduct that can trigger felony exposure and follow-on enforcement.

1. The department named BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc. and Raffle Creator in separate orders aimed at protecting Arizona’s regulated gaming market and consumer protections. It also warned that illegal gambling activity could support felony charges, including promotion of gambling, illegal control of an enterprise and money laundering.
2. BetOpenly was accused of benefiting from peer-to-peer sports betting and casino games through a commission structure while offering event wagering and daily fantasy sports contests without the required licences. Regulators also said the platform allowed access to underage users.
3. Bookmaker was accused of facilitating horse-racing wagering, sports betting and casino gaming without holding either an event wagering licence or an advanced deposit wagering provider licence. The department noted that online casino gaming is not legal in Arizona.
4. Club WPT Online Poker was accused of allowing individuals under 21 to participate in pay-to-play online poker tournaments for prizes while using “no purchase necessary” language that the department considered deceptive. Online poker remains illegal in Arizona.
5. In Kutt Inc.’s case, regulators said the company’s operations did not qualify as lawful social gambling because a third party benefited from the activity. The order directs the operator to stop allowing Arizona users to deposit funds and wager on sports, politics, pop culture and casino-style games. Raffle Creator was also accused of operating without meeting the requirements for Arizona non-profits to conduct lawful raffles and of permitting individuals under 21 to purchase tickets for prize drawings.

The orders cover activity conducted through mobile applications, websites or other channels. The department said further enforcement could include criminal charges, civil actions against the companies and their employees, restitution for consumers who lost money, and forfeiture of funds obtained through the alleged illegal conduct.

Director Jackie Johnson said the Department of Gaming was “taking decisive action against illegal gambling operators that put Arizonans at risk” and that operators promoting unauthorised gambling must stop operating in the state.