Arizona warns of rising online casino scams targeting state residents

The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) has issued a consumer protection alert about fraudulent online casinos targeting state residents.

Fraudulent operators are falsely claiming that legitimate Arizona casinos have launched online gaming platforms, enticing residents to engage in illegal and unregulated iGaming services.

These platforms, often marketed as legitimate, are illegal in the state. Arizona law does not permit online casinos, and any claims to the contrary should be considered highly suspicious. 

ADG said it has received multiple reports from Arizona residents who have fallen victim to these scams. Fraudulent online casinos are using social media ads to direct consumers to download apps or visit websites, offering illegitimate gaming services and prompting users to spend money on unauthorized games. 

The department warned Arizona residents to verify the legitimacy of any online gaming platform before engaging in play. Many of these illegal operations are unregulated, leaving players vulnerable to fraud, identity theft, and other serious risks.

Since they operate outside the law, ADG cannot resolve complaints or disputes, leaving victims with little chance of recovering lost money.

Residents are also advised to verify any gaming platform through ADG’s official website at gaming.az.gov. Unlike illegal operations, licensed and regulated casinos offer important consumer protections, helping ensure a safer experience for participants. 

Fraudulent platforms often use deceptive tactics to appear legitimate, including mimicking logos or names of well-known Arizona casinos, offering too-good-to-be-true promotions such as excessive bonuses or promises of guaranteed wins, and using suspicious website URLs or mobile apps with slight misspellings or alternative domain extensions (e.g., .net instead of .com).

Residents are urged to verify that a casino is licensed and regulated in Arizona, be skeptical of unsolicited offers that promise guaranteed wins or risk-free gaming, and never share sensitive information with unverified sources. Legitimate platforms should offer resources for dispute resolution, responsible gaming messaging, and a toll-free helpline. 

If residents encounter fraudulent online gaming operations, apps, or websites that falsely claim to be licensed Arizona casinos, ADG urges them to document the fraud, report it to ADG at publicaffairs@azgaming.gov and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office Consumer Information and Complaints Unit at (602) 542-5763 or via azag.gov/consumer, and cease activity on the platform immediately while monitoring financial accounts for any unauthorized transactions.