Dozens of fake advertisements claiming online gambling is live at Beau Rivage Resort and Casino were posted on Facebook and other social media sites this week.

A search showed about 40 advertisements dated Monday were posted on Facebook with indications the ads also are on Instagram and were sent by Messenger.

The bogus ads use different pictures but all claim the same thing: That Beau Rivage is “officially” online for betting, with a $1,000 welcome bonus and 100 FS, which would indicate free spins.

The person or artificial intelligence program that created the ads lifted the Beau Rivage logos and photos of the casino exterior in downtown Biloxi from the legitimate Beau Rivage website, along with what looks to be a Beau Rivage slot machine ticket to anyone who has played at the casino.

“It’s not us,” said Mary Cracchiolo, regional public relations director at the Beau Rivage.

The casino’s legal team is researching the fake ads and who might have posted them, she said.

“That’s a hoax,” said Jay McDaniel, executive director of Mississippi Gaming Commission, and one he said that is becoming more prevalent.

Those who post these bogus ads typically operate offshore and in other countries, he said, and are difficult to track down and hold accountable.

Beau Rivage does have a casino app

Online gambling is not legal in Mississippi, so any ad that claims a casino games can be played online is a hoax.

The only place online gambling is permitted in Mississippi is inside the casino with a sports betting app.

The BetMGM app, which launched at the Beau Rivage in 2021, allows customers to download the free app and place bets on their phone or computer at the coffee shop, the pool or other areas inside the building. On the MGM Rewards app, players can see their Beau Rivage offers.

Money can be deposited into the app through PayPal or a credit or debit card, and players can deposit and withdraw these funds anywhere in the U.S. To deposit or withdraw cash, the person must be at the Beau Rivage.

How to prevent being scammed

While law enforcement, the Gaming Commission and the casino companies go after those who post these illegal ads, individuals can protect themselves by looking for signs the ads are fake and not posted by the casinos.

Clicking on one of the fake ads posted this week leads to first being verified that the user is human and then leads to a site called Cyborg and a menu of games people can play for a price.

Warning signs include:

• The link doesn’t connect to a Beau Rivage site.

• The ads use a website URL that isn’t the official beaurivage.mgmresorts.com.

• The ads use a shortened version of the official name of Beau Rivage Resort & Casino.

• The ads are not posted on the Beau Rivage Facebook site or other social media.

The ads posted this week appear to still be active and enticing unsuspecting consumers to spend money on illegitimate games.