Representatives from MGM Resorts International and its Mississippi riverboat, the Beau Rivage, are voicing their opposition to social media ads that assert online casino gambling has become available in the state. 

The Sun Herald in Biloxi states that several posts on X, Instagram, and Facebook have recently emerged indicating that iGaming has launched in Mississippi. The advertisements originate from a fraudulent site named “Beau Rivage Casino” and unlawfully endorse an illicit gambling application by exploiting the Gulf property’s image. 

“The official Beau Rivage app is now available online. Enjoy the game and luck will definitely be on your side,” the posts read, seemingly generated by AI or a foreigner with little understanding of how casino marketing works in the US.

The advertisements indicate that new users can get a welcome bonus as high as $1,000 along with 100 complimentary slot spins. 

Gambling Alert 

Beau Rivage and officials from the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) are cautioning the public to steer clear of the questionable app being advertised on social media.

"That’s a hoax,” Jay McDaniel, executive director of the MGC, told the Sun Herald. “That’s not us,” added Mary Cracchiolo Spain, public relations director for MGM’s regional operations.

Only seven states allow online casinos, and Mississippi is not one of those. Mississippi does not permit mobile sports betting, although Beau Rivage provides the BetMGM Online Sportsbook app for its guests. 

Wagers can be placed through the BetMGM app when a guest is present on the Beau Rivage property. Once an individual exits the resort’s boundaries, no wagers can be placed. The online sportsbook offers ease for on-site visitors wanting to place a sports wager without needing to go to the actual casino sportsbook. 

An attempt to broaden legal and regulated online sports betting was unsuccessful in the Mississippi Legislature in May. State legislators are anticipated to reevaluate online sports wagering in 2025. 

Offshore Gaming Companies 

Illicit, overseas gaming operators keep aiming at bettors in regions where such gambling is not allowed. The unregulated casino gaming sites and applications offer no consumer safeguards such as fair play or assurances that wagers will be honored and withdrawals processed. 

Officials at state gaming and law enforcement face restrictions in effectively prosecuting these illicit online gambling operations. The American Gaming Association (AGA), the leading lobbying organization advocating for the interests of both commercial and tribal gaming sectors in Washington, DC, as well as state capitals nationwide, persists in urging the US Justice Department to take action against unlawful gambling activities. 

Numerous unregulated online gambling companies are located in Anjouan, the Caribbean, Malta, the Isle of Man, and the Philippines. Entities based outside the country frequently shield gambling businesses from facing prosecution by state law enforcement authorities.

"Illegal online casinos operate openly and often target US customers through paid advertising. These illegal sportsbooks and casinos create numerous societal costs. In addition to violating the law, the games offered by these sites do not meet testing or regulatory standards to ensure fair play and payouts, age-verification, or security of personal and financial data,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. 

“While the challenge of illegal gambling is not new, the brazen and coordinated manner in which it occurs — both online and in communities — has elevated this problem to a level that requires significant federal attention. We urge the [Justice] Department to make it a priority to act to protect American consumers, crack down on illegal operators, and enforce federal regulations,” Miller added.