Sports Wagering Council’s Cease-And-Desist Action Shuts Down Another Illegal Sportsbook’s Operations In Tennessee; SWC Issues Additional $100,000 In Fines To Two More Illegal[...]

NASHVILLE - Following an investigation and a cease-and-desist action by the Sports Wagering Council (SWC), another unlicensed, illegal sportsbook has stopped operating in Tennessee.

VoltageBet.com, an illegal offshore sportsbook based in Anjouan, shut down its offerings to Tennesseans as of September 4. Tennesseans who may have deposited funds with VoltageBet.com are urged to withdraw them immediately.

Additionally, in its continued efforts to shut down unlicensed sports betting activity, the SWC has issued $100,000 in fines to illegal sportsbooks ThunderPick.io and HeritageSports.eu. Again, Tennesseans who may have deposited funds with these entities are urged to withdraw them immediately.

The SWC has now served 30 illegal entities operating in Tennessee with cease-and-desist demands and assessed $1,250,000 in fines to illegal sportsbooks. Nine illegal operators have left the state, including Bovada, Sportszino, BetWhale, and Kickr.

Tennessee is the largest online-only sports betting market in the U.S., with over $6 billion wagered last fiscal year through online sportsbooks licensed by the SWC.

"In stark contrast to our legal sportsbooks, illegal operators are choosing to violate state law. They do not offer any of the same consumer protections that the law requires of licensed entities," Executive Director Mary Beth Thomas said. "They do not restrict minors from accessing their site, they extend credit to vulnerable individuals, and players have no way of knowing where and with whom their personal and financial data is shared after they log in to an illegal sportsbook. We cannot help players who get into a dispute with an offshore sportsbook, other than to continue our work to shut them down."

The Council's mission is to protect the public interest of Tennessee through a safe, regulated sports wagering environment, and eradicating illegal sportsbooks and their supporting businesses from Tennessee is a primary focus of the SWC.

For a list of licensed sportsbooks operating legally in Tennessee, go to tn.gov/swac.

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.

###