A deal has been struck between the Canadian-based Kahnawake Gaming Commission and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, that will stop Kahnawake licensed operators from accepting players from the United States. The ban comes into effect on September 30th, according to a press release put out by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission yesterday.
The press release read: “The Kahnawake Gaming Commission has directed that an applicant or existing licensee that accepts players from a U.S. State without being authorized by the U.S. State to do so, is engaged in an activity that adversely affects Kahnawake’s jurisdictional integrity or reputation. An application from an operator that engages in this activity will be denied. Existing licensees have been advised that, not later than September 30, 2016, they must modify their operations to conform to the Commission’s regulatory directive or their licenses will be terminated.”
The background of this deal struck between the two entities is that the New Jersey gambling authorities discovered that Continent 8, one of its licensees, had also entered into agreements with several Kahnawake licensed operators. “The Division was able to ensure that any such websites originating from Kahnawake will no longer be available to United States residents in jurisdictions where these companies are not authorized to operate, after September 30, 2016,” reads the press release.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission went on to point out that sites such as Bovada, which offers sports betting and online gaming off its platform, would no longer be operating out of the data center located in Kahnawake.
The Garden State’s gambling authorities praised the deal that was inked with Kahnawake, saying that they were pleased to have the KGC’s assistance as a “fellow regulator”. The Division of Gaming Enforcement said that it looked forward to working together with Kahnawake in the future.
“We were able to reach a series of agreements that are amenable to all of the parties involved and satisfy the Division’s regulatory concerns,” noted the DGE. “The Division appreciates the KGC’s commitment and looks forward to its continued cooperation in the fight against unlicensed Internet gaming traffic.”
For its part, the KGC said that it understood the New Jersey authorities’ concerns about online gambling sites operating in New Jersey and other parts of the United States without being properly regulated by a regulated body in those jurisdictions.
