The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency sent High Entertainment LLC, the company behind online sweepstakes casino High 5 Casino, a cease-and-desist letter. The letter claims High 5 Casino is operating in Maryland illegally as it doesn't hold a relevant license from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission.
Online casino gambling is illegal in Maryland, while mobile sports betting and fantasy competitions are permitted with licensing from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission.
According to the letter from Managing Director, Gaming, Michael Eaton, “The Commission has no record of High Entertainment being issued a sports wagering license, a casino gaming license, or registration as a fantasy competition operator.”
The letter gives High Entertainment until Apr. 2 to respond and prove compliance with Maryland gambling laws. Failure to comply could prevent the operator from receiving a license in the future. That includes licensing for its gambling platform, High 5 Casino, and its real-money game development brand, High 5 Games.
Maryland continues crackdown on illegal gambling operators
High Entertainment is not the first company to receive a cease-and-desist letter from Maryland. The regulator prohibited several operators from providing gaming in the state. Other notable sweepstakes casinos included McLuck, Fortune Coins, Stake.us, and Golden Hearts. VGW, which operates Chumba Casino and Luckyland Slots, also received a cease-and-desist letter from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency.
In addition, the state banned offshore operators like Bet US, BetAnySports, and BetNow.eu from accepting Maryland players.
Several U.S. states recently brought legal action against sweepstakes casinos and offshore operators. The Michigan Gaming Control Board has been the most prolific, issuing operators several cease-and-desist letters, including sending formal notice to nine in February.
Those platforms included BetAnySports, CoolCat Casino, Diamond Sportsbook International, Solar Game LTD and Busan Trad Office, My Dreams Casino, NonStop Casino, Palace of Chance, Xbet Casino, and WagerWeb.
Online casinos are legal in Michigan, but the Michigan Gaming Control Board licensed none of those operators.
The Florida Gaming Commission also sent several cease-and-desist letters in Feb. 2025, banning BetUS.com.pa, Bovada.lv, and MyBookie.ag.
High 5 struggles continue
In recent months, U.S. gaming regulators focused on High Entertainment. A Washington judge recently ruled the company must pay a nearly $25 million fine to Washington players because of its High 5 Casino platform.
Following this, the site shut down in several U.S. states, including Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. With Maryland’s latest ban on the site, High 5 Casino may continue to struggle in the future.
