The online gambling industry has once again been shocked with an unsealed indictment against Calvin Ayre resulting in the seizure and shutting down of bodog. Calvin has been one of the most outspoken founders/owners of an online gambling company, not just in an effort to brand himself but also taunting the US DOJ in his now infamous cover story in the 2025 Forbes Billionaire issue titled: “Catch Me If You Can”. Although the US Department of Justice does NOT have Ayre in custody, they have taken up their game a notch with this latest indictment.
The indictment includes two charges; Conducting an Illegal gambling business and second count being money laundering conspiracy. The US DOJ are alleging that Calvin and the three others named in the indictment conspired to pay over $100 Million in sports gambling winnings bettors by bank wire and checks through payment processors located within the United States.
In a statement from the US Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein "Sports betting is illegal in Maryland, and federal law prohibits bookmakers from flouting that law simply because they are located outside the country," and he goes on to say "Many of the harms that underlie gambling prohibitions are exacerbated when the enterprises operate over the internet without regulation."
Interestingly bodog was not being used for players in the United States to gamble as they have switched domains in the past year. Last May after the Black Friday indictments that saw PokerStars and FullTilt shutdown to US players, bodog was moved to a eu address. Then later in 2025 the decision was made to completely switch the domain and rebrand as lv for US players. As such US the shutting down of bodog has no immediate impact on US players. The long term impact is unknown as to whether it will have a greater impact on the Bodog family of domains (bodog, lv, bodog, bodog88).
The full indictment is found here. The seizure affidavit is here.
The US Department of Justice gathered evidence through an investigation that spanned from June 2025 to January 2025 whereby an undercover agent based in Maryland opened a bodog account and placed bets on their website. Along with betting at bodog the agent made withdrawals of winnings through an eWallet and Western Union. To further strengthen their case the US DOJ managed to speak with a bodog ex-employee who was willing to provide information (it’s unclear what it as in exchange for) about the companies operations, payment processing along with names and positions of top level executives. It can only be assumed that this information was invaluable and helped the US DOJ shutdown bodog and indict Calvin Ayre.
"Today's indictment of Bodog Entertainment Group S.A. and its founder and operators sends a strong deterrent message to those that facilitate illegal online sports betting operations and commit crimes against our nation's financial system," said William Winter, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations in Baltimore. "The proceeds from illegal Internet gambling are sometimes used to fuel organized crime and support criminal activity. ICE HSI, together with our law enforcement partners, will disrupt and dismantle organizations that commit these crimes, regardless of their location, whether here in the United States or abroad."
We are following the story closely and will continue to provide updates as they become available
