Offshore Casinos Like Bovada and Ignition: What Are the Risks?

Short answer

Neither Bovada nor Ignition is licensed in New Jersey. Neither appears on the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) list of authorized internet gaming sites, the licenses they name on their own sites are offshore, and both say on their own help pages that they don’t accept New Jersey residents. Without a New Jersey license, you don’t get the DGE’s dispute process or the player-protection rules New Jersey requires of licensed sites.

See licensed NJ casino guides

What license do Bovada and Ignition say they have?

• Bovada: its site footer says “Bovada.lv is licensed and regulated by the Union of the Comoros and the Central Reserve Authority of Western Sahara.”
• Ignition: its site footer says “Arachis Media Ltd is licensed and regulated by the Anjouan Gaming Board” and describes Anjouan as a constituent territory of the Union of the Comoros.
• New Jersey: neither bovada.lv nor ignitioncasino.eu was on the DGE’s authorized list when we checked on 2026-09-28. The DGE says: “Any site not included on this list is NOT approved to offer Internet gaming in the State of New Jersey.”
• Other states: in May 2024, the Michigan Gaming Control Board sent a cease-and-desist letter to Harp Media B.V., which it said operates Bovada, citing Bovada’s “unregulated and unlicensed online gaming offerings.” Michigan described the company as based in Curaçao.

Both say they don’t accept New Jersey residents

• Bovada’s help center: “Bovada remains open to United States residents, except for those living in the following states”, and New Jersey is on that list. It adds that residents of restricted states who still have a balance should contact customer service “to arrange a cryptocurrency withdrawal.”
• Ignition’s restricted-regions page: Ignition “will not accept residents of Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey or New York.”

So even under the operators’ own rules, these sites are not an option for New Jersey readers.

What you give up compared with a licensed NJ site

A regulator-backed complaint process

The DGE requires licensed operators “to have effective systems in place for receiving, recording, managing and investigating Internet gaming customer complaints.” If a licensed casino can’t resolve your complaint, you can file an Internet Gaming Dispute Form with the DGE. That process is built around DGE-licensed operators. In a September 2023 warning about illegal sportsbooks and fantasy sports sites, the New Jersey Attorney General’s office and the DGE said such unregulated sites, which may be operated offshore, may lack dispute resolution processes.

State-required player limits and self-exclusion

New Jersey’s internet gaming rules (N.J.A.C. 13:69O-1.3 and 1.4) require licensed gaming systems to let players set daily, weekly and monthly deposit limits, daily, weekly and monthly spend limits, and a daily time limit. They also require operators to verify, when an account is opened, that the player is at least 21 and not self-excluded. The DGE runs a Self-Exclusion Program that includes an internet-gaming-only option. An offshore operator sets its own policies instead: Bovada’s site links its own Responsible Gaming and Self Exclusion pages, which are not the New Jersey program.

Payments, payouts and your data

In the same warning about illegal sportsbooks and fantasy sports sites, the Attorney General’s office and the DGE listed things those sites may lack: operational and financial controls, proper and timely payment processing, transparent ownership and anti-money laundering controls. Warning signs they named include accepting deposits or making payments in cryptocurrency, charging fees for deposits or withdrawals, bonuses that seem too good to be true, and a web domain from outside the United States. Speaking about illegal sportsbooks, DGE Director David Rebuck said: “They lack oversight to ensure customers are actually paid what they won as well as security protocols to safeguard sensitive personal and financial information, like Social Security numbers and bank data.”

New Jersey law on unlicensed operators

A 2025 New Jersey law (P.L.2025, c.128) made it a third-degree crime to operate an “online gambling resort” that lets people in New Jersey wager unless that gambling is under the regulation and control of the State. That provision is aimed at operators.

Quick check before you deposit anywhere

1. Look the site up on the DGE Internet Gaming Sites list.
2. Make sure the web address you are using matches the one on the list.
3. Confirm you are 21+ and physically in New Jersey.
4. Read the operator’s terms on location, bonuses and withdrawals. The operator’s terms win.

Licensed options for New Jersey readers

When we checked on 2026-09-28, every brand in our NJ guides had a casino site on the DGE list. Start with the NJ casino guides hub or go straight to a guide:

• Fanatics Casino: Deposit $10, get $30
• DraftKings Casino NJ: Play $5 → 1,000 Flex Spins
• FanDuel Casino NJ and Hard Rock Bet NJ: 100% Match + 50 Free Spins
• BetMGM: sports invite, Up to a $100 bonus on deposit (not a casino welcome offer)
• Caesars Palace Online: referral guide

Compare NJ casino offers

Outside New Jersey? Our Bovada and Ignition guides

For readers outside New Jersey, our guides list Bovada’s offer as Bet $10, get $30 and Ignition’s as 300% welcome deposit bonus. Both are offshore and not NJ DGE-licensed, and the risks above still apply. Check the operator’s own state list and terms first: Bovada guide · Ignition Casino guide · all Other offers.

Responsible gaming

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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