Illegal offshore betting has been receiving quite a bit of attention in the United States ahead of the opening of professional football today and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin is jumping in the fray. This week Platkin joined forces with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and the Division of Consumer Affairs to warn players about the dangers of wagering with unlicensed sportsbooks.
First Assistant Attorney General Lyndsay V. Ruotolo spelled out the nature of the problem in a press release saying, “We know that the start of football season brings with it an uptick in sports betting and fantasy sports participation, and we want everyone to enjoy these activities safely and securely. Sportsbooks and daily fantasy sites licensed and authorized to operate in New Jersey are subject to nation-leading consumer safeguards against fraud, identity theft, and unscrupulous actors; however, illegal sites have none of these protections. This season, we urge fans to stick with regulated websites to avoid scams and bogus offers. And for those who may need help with a gambling problem, know that help is available.”
Though New Jersey has been defining the US online gambling market the entire time there’s even been a US online gambling market it’s still particularly susceptible to offshore betting. That’s because the state prohibits players from betting on college teams from New Jersey or any college game played in New Jersey.
DGE Director David Rebuck warned players to avoid the temptation to offshore saying, “The problems with illegal sportsbooks are numerous. They lack oversight to ensure customers are actually paid what they won as well as security protocols to safeguard sensitive personal and financial information, like Social Security numbers and bank data.”
New Jersey officials say that players can protect themselves from unauthorized sports books by watching for sites that don’t use .com domains; accept crypto currencies for deposits; and charge processing fees for credit cards.