Written by :
Published on :
50 US attorney generals sent a joint letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi asking for the U.S. Department of Justice to shut down illegal gaming outlets, seize related assets and block unlawful transactions.
The Attorneys Generals say these foreign companies are operating without proper licenses, offer little to no customer protection and fail to adequately verify the age of their users, thus exposing children to gambling.
Over the past few months, much of the focus has been on sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks as well as prediction markets, some of which are based in the U.S.. Offshore sportsbooks are based entirely in nations where the activity is legal.
“Illegal offshore gaming and gambling companies circumvent all state and federal laws with one mission: to increase players and maximize profits, exposing children and other vulnerable Pennsylvanians to gambling without protections offered by legitimate outlets,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “Gambling and gaming remains legal in Pennsylvania, and online gamblers should look for the official Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board logo on licensed operators` websites to ensure their gaming and gambling experience is safe and regulated.”
According to the coalition of Attorneys Generals, illegal online gaming is estimated to exceed more than $400 billion in volume each year, causing states to lose over $4 billion in potential tax revenue.
Many of these offshore sportsbooks have been in operation for more than 25 years. Most are licensed by jurisdictions where the activity is deemed as legal.
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
