BitStarz vs MyBookie — Blocked in the US vs Still Taking Bets

BitStarz vs MyBookie: US-Blocked Crypto Casino vs Offshore Book

BitStarz vs MyBookie pairs two Curaçao-licensed operators that split on the one question that matters most to a US reader: who will actually take the bet. BitStarz names the United States and Puerto Rico as restricted jurisdictions in its own terms and blocks real-money registration outright. MyBookie has taken US bets since 2014 and, despite 2025 cease-and-desist letters from Michigan and Florida, is still open to bettors in most states. Neither is licensed by a US regulator, but only one of them is reachable from a US address at all.

BitStarz vs MyBookie looks, at a glance, like two offshore Curaçao brands that both launched in 2014 and both lean on crypto. Underneath that, they split on the single fact that decides this comparison for most readers: BitStarz names the United States and Puerto Rico as restricted jurisdictions and blocks real-money signup outright. MyBookie has taken US bets since 2014 and, despite two 2025 cease-and-desist letters, still does in most states.

BitStarz vs MyBookie, side by side

	BitStarz	MyBookie
Founded	2014	2014, Willemstad, Curaçao
Core license	Curaçao Gaming Control Board (Gareton B.V., OGL/2024/165/0185)	Curaçao eGaming (Duranbah Limited N.V.)
US access	Blocked — US and Puerto Rico named restricted in the terms	No state license, but still taking bets from most states
Product	Casino only, 7,000+ games from 60+ studios	Sportsbook, casino, and racebook in one account
Regulatory pressure	None reported — restriction is a self-imposed terms-of-service block	Michigan (Jan. 23, 2025) and Florida (Feb. 5, 2025) cease-and-desist letters
Payout speed	Crypto withdrawals typically clear in 10-20 minutes	Bitcoin in 12-24 hours; bank wire up to 7 business days

Is BitStarz or MyBookie Legal in the US?

Neither carries a US state license, but that shared fact plays out differently for each brand. BitStarz's own terms bar the United States and Puerto Rico by name, and account verification enforces that rather than leaving it to the honor system. MyBookie never held a US license either, but it operates in the same offshore gray zone as Bovada and BetOnline.ag, a zone that got measurably tighter in early 2025 when Michigan and Florida regulators both sent cease-and-desist letters within two weeks of each other.

The asymmetry that matters: this isn't a “more legal” versus “less legal” comparison for a US reader — it's a brand that has locked the door versus one that hasn't. BitStarz's Curaçao license and Trustpilot record are real, but irrelevant to anyone signing up from a US address, since the account simply won't open.

Is BitStarz or MyBookie More Legit?

Both brands point to a real track record rather than a rubber-stamp license. BitStarz has run since 2014 under Gareton B.V. (OGL/2024/165/0185) and holds an “Excellent” Trustpilot rating across roughly 5,000 reviews, built largely on players reporting that payouts land. MyBookie, also live since 2014 under Duranbah Limited N.V., has more than a decade of forum-documented sportsbook payouts behind it — but it is also the brand currently absorbing state-level cease-and-desist letters. For a US reader, BitStarz's legitimacy doesn't reach them at all; the site won't register the account.

Product: Crypto Casino vs a Full Sportsbook Stack

BitStarz is casino-only — more than 7,000 games across slots, crash games, table games, and live dealer from over 60 studios, with a hybrid cashier that moves freely between crypto and fiat. MyBookie runs a sportsbook, casino, and racebook under one login, with a crypto-first cashier that clears Bitcoin withdrawals in 12 to 24 hours and a slower bank-wire fallback for players who'd rather skip crypto. A reader chasing sports betting was never going to find it at BitStarz, US access aside.

Which One for Who

For a US reader, MyBookie is the only one of these two that can actually be used today, and that reality outweighs its thinner Curaçao license and the 2025 cease-and-desist letters. For a reader outside the US and Puerto Rico who wants a deep, crypto-native casino library, BitStarz is the more specialized, longer-track-record option — and it was never built to serve American bettors in the first place. Neither brand turns gambling into income; both run on a house edge, and MyBookie's users in particular are relying on offshore licensing with far less recourse than a US state regulator provides. If gambling stops being entertainment, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

BitStarz vs MyBookie — Frequently Asked Questions

Is BitStarz or MyBookie legal in the US?

Neither holds a US state license, but the practical answer diverges sharply. BitStarz's own terms list the United States and Puerto Rico as restricted jurisdictions, and real-money registration from a US IP or address is blocked outright. MyBookie has never held a state license either, but it continues accepting bets from most states under its Curaçao eGaming license, the same offshore gray zone as Bovada and BetOnline.ag, now under active scrutiny after the Michigan and Florida cease-and-desist letters sent in early 2025.

Is BitStarz or MyBookie more legit?

Both rest on a Curaçao license rather than US-grade oversight, but each has a different kind of track record. BitStarz has run continuously since 2014 under Gareton B.V. (license OGL/2024/165/0185) and holds an "Excellent" Trustpilot rating across roughly 5,000 reviews. MyBookie has operated since the same year, 2014, under Duranbah Limited N.V., with over a decade of forum-documented sportsbook payouts — but it is also the one currently absorbing state-level enforcement action. For a US reader, BitStarz's legitimacy is beside the point since the site will not register the account in the first place.

Is BitStarz or MyBookie safer for a US player?

Safety only matters for the brand a reader can actually reach, and that is MyBookie. BitStarz's licensing and payout reputation are real, but they protect players outside the US and Puerto Rico, not inside them — the site checks for and blocks US signups. MyBookie's Curaçao eGaming license offers thinner recourse than any state regulator, and the 2025 cease-and-desist letters from Michigan and Florida signal state gaming boards are watching it more closely than in prior years. Neither offers the dispute backstop a licensed US sportsbook or casino would.

Why does BitStarz block the US while MyBookie doesn't?

BitStarz made a corporate decision to name the US and Puerto Rico as restricted jurisdictions in its terms of service and enforces it through account verification, a choice plenty of crypto casinos make to avoid US regulatory exposure entirely. MyBookie took the opposite bet in 2014 and has kept taking American action since, absorbing enforcement risk — like the Michigan and Florida letters — rather than closing the market off. Nothing about either brand's license compels this difference; it is company policy on each side.

Can a US player use BitStarz with a VPN?

The site will often load, but it is a bad trade either way. BitStarz can flag or void activity it believes originated from a restricted jurisdiction, and VPN use conflicts with the account terms that govern every withdrawal — exactly the moment a US location is most likely to surface and cost a balance. A US reader is better served by an operator, like MyBookie, that actually accepts American players rather than one that is actively trying to keep them out.

How do BitStarz and MyBookie differ as products?

BitStarz is casino-only: more than 7,000 games from over 60 studios — slots, crash games, table games, live dealer — with a hybrid cashier that lets a player deposit in crypto and cash out in fiat or the reverse. MyBookie bundles a sportsbook, casino, and racebook under one login, with a crypto-heavy cashier (Bitcoin withdrawals typically in 12-24 hours) and a slower bank-wire fallback. A reader who wants sports betting was never going to find it at BitStarz regardless of US access.