State officials in New Jersey are urging residents to stay away from illegal sports betting and fantasy sports sites.
The Attorney General’s office, the Division of Gaming Enforcement, and the Division of Consumer Affairs released a joint statement in time for football season to remind the New Jersey sports betting public to only use legal sports betting operators that are licensed and authorized within the state.
“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,” said First Assistant Attorney General Lyndsay V. Ruotolo. “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.”
The DGE warned about the lack of oversight from illegal betting sites when it comes to paying out customers and protecting sensitive information — such as social security numbers.
New Jersey officials also say to be aware of no anti-money laundering controls and deposit/withdrawal fees that come with offshore operators.
“The problems with illegal sportsbooks are numerous,” DGE director David Rebuck said.
Responsible Gaming Month underway
This message coincides with the American Gaming Association’s ongoing Responsible Gaming Education Month.
A recent AGA survey showed that 91% of sports bettors over the last year were aware of at least one responsible gaming resource.
The AGA will hold “Legal, Regulated Gaming Protects Players” week from September 11-17.
“This month provides a focused opportunity for the gaming community to come together to highlight and advance our efforts,” Cait DeBaun, AGA Vice President of Responsibility, said. “We look forward to joining with our members, regulators, leagues, media, and all stakeholders to uphold our collective responsibility for responsibility.”
On the attack
An abundance of illegal operations popped up in other countries like Antigua, Costa Rica, and Panama during the 1990s and early 2000s. Several federal laws have been passed over the years to disallow financial institutions from doing business with offshore sites and make it more difficult to illegally launder money through sportsbooks.
With the evolution of legal online betting sites, states have had to also fight hard to keep offshore sites from enticing bettors in regulated areas from placing wagers illegally. Some states have even passed laws making it illegal to bet through offshore operators.
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