Bodog Bids Farewell To US Market

This week Bodog took a major strategic decision to exit the US market by the end of 2011 in a move designed to allow the brand’s global stellar expansion to continue unabated.
Of chief concern to the Bodog brand is the need to avoid any negative perceptions to its reputation which may occur as a result of the US anti-online gambling crusade.
The Bodog brand is amongst the world’s largest franchises offering online gaming brands in areas such as sports book, poker and casinos. Bodog is already well established in various lucrative markets including the Uk and successfully gaining footholds in emerging markets such as Asia, which it doesn’t want to see jeopardised by remaining in the US.
Since 2007, the Kahwanake-licensed Morris Mohawk Gaming Group (MMGG) has held the Bodog.com domain licence for North America but switched recently to Bodog.eu, in an attempt to move into the Asian and Latin American markets.
However, the Bodog.eu domain will be now be allowed to lapse on 31st December, after which US players will be unable to access any Bodog-branded websites.
The decision to pull-out of the US online gaming market comes a few weeks after Bodog successfully received a gambling licence from  the U.K. Gambling Commission, with Bodog UK’s CEO, Patrik Selin commenting at the time:
“Following recent news that Bodog UK has been granted a gambling license by the UK Gambling Commission, we are pleased to announce further developments to the Bodog brand going forward…The move will enable the Bodog brand to continue its growth and expansion and maintain its position as the world’s largest gaming brand.”
The departure of the Bodog brand is another major blow to the US online gaming arena, but on a positive note it is understood that the MMGG will launch their own Kahnawake Gaming Commission licenced brand in 2012, with Bodog.eu clients’ offered the option to switch their funds to the new MMGG brand if they wish.