A Little History of Offshore Sportsbooks
Betting has been around for a very long time. It is enough to think about the fact that people used to bet on it already during Roman times, not to mention the ancient Greeks. The ancient Chinese dynasties also enjoyed betting on the outcomes of games, and they were actually the ones who created the first types of card games.
In this article, we trace a brief overview of the history of offshore sportsbooks to find out more about what they are, when they were invented, and what their use and future are today. Continue reading and find out more about the history of offshore sportsbooks.
What are Offshore Sportsbooks?
Offshore sportsbooks are defined as online or remote sports betting platforms that originate from a location outside of the bettor’s home country or jurisdiction. Normally, offshore sportsbooks would be based in countries or territories where sports betting is legal and regulated, but at the same time, they cater to customers from all around the world, including those areas where sports betting might be restricted.
Sportsbooks, in one shape or another, have been around for centuries. Actually, the mere concept of sports betting dates back to ancient civilizations, as people would bet on the outcomes of sporting events. When talking about modern sportsbooks, though, we must consider that their history is much more recent.
The Origins of Sportsbooks
In the 19th century, horse racing was one of the first sports to develop organized betting, as it offered bookmaking services. Many experts say that this was the actual foundation for many sports betting practices as we know them today.
As in the United States, people used to bet illegally, and the whole sector was in need of regulations and rules to keep it clean and transparent. Because of this, between the 1940s and the 1950s, some American states, such as Nevada, started regulating sports betting. Las Vegas casinos started offering sportsbooks, an event that actually marked the beginning of legal sports but was more formalized.
The Present and Future of Sportsbooks
As technology advanced, so did the world of sports betting. Sports betting apps have become more and more popular, and the accessibility of sports betting has expanded day by day. As the US finally lifted the federal ban on sports betting, individual states started legalizing and regulating it. This led to a big expansion of this industry in the US, which included the development of sportsbooks as we know them.
Some of the best offshore sportsbooks offer a wide range of advantages, such as fast payouts, and they often accept cryptocurrencies as payment. Because of this, you can withdraw money within a single hour. As offshore sportsbooks are quite popular nowadays, people think that they will remain the same in the near future.
This is because there will always be a sector of people who gamble who want to remain anonymous, shop for the best odds, or simply target a different market. Sportsbooks, at this point in time, are a staple of sports betting, and they will remain present in this sector for a long time. The variety of betting options, together with the targeting of niche sports such as auto racing, tennis, and even esports, are some of the reasons why sportsbooks are not going anywhere, but they are here to stay.
- B.E. Delmer, Gambling911.com
