How can anyone be surprised that these folks are leaving the US market? I’m amazed that Mr. Dicks was stupid enough to set foot in the US, after the Carruthers arrest.
What sort of person would want to take on the US government, knowing that federal prosecutors convict well over 90% of all the people they indict? It is virtually impossible to beat a racketeering charge, which is why RICO was created in the first place, to “get” people (originally mobsters) who couldn’t be convicted, because they never did any of the dirty work themselves.
Carruther and Dicks will not be allowed to return to their homes until they a) charges are dropped, b) they are acquitted at trial, or c) are convicted and serve their time. Who would want to risk coming to the US, and spending the next 10-20 years in prison, because they took US bets?
What about those companies that have ambitions to buy into the US market? How could they ever have a chance of getting licensed in the US if they flagrantly ignored the arrests, indictments, etc. and do “business as usual” after the Carruthers arrest and the restraining order against BetOnSports.
Everyone who leaves the US market now, can at least argue: “We exited the market in order to comply with a court order issued against a competitor, to ensure we respected US law.”