US Department of Justice Urged to Combat Offshore Gaming Platforms
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is existence asked past a fusion of VII states to armed combat unregulated, offshore gaming websites that illegally cater to players privileged the country.
On Friday, the Chicago Gaming Control Board (MGCB) joined six other res publica gaming regulatory agencies in urging the federal law enforcement section to get fighting illegal offshore casino websites and sportsbook platforms a priority. Wolverine State united gaming regulators from Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Sagebrush State inwards petitioning the DOJ.
In Michigan, strict laws and rules rule internet gaming and sports betting and bring home the bacon consumer protections, encourage confidence, and ensure just and fair gaming,” MGCB Executive Director Henry Hank Williams said inward a statement. “We are willing to facilitate the US Department of Justice in any path we tin as it pursues enforcement of US laws against offshore illegal gaming enterprises that make vantage of our citizens.”
In the coalition’s letter to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, the aggroup said its quest is warranted because offshore gaming provides no more consumer protections such as regulated gambol and guaranteed payouts on wins. The seaward gaming industry also provides no more revenue enhancement benefit.
No Legal Recourse
The gaming states that need the DOJ to best enforce the country’s laws when it comes to online play contend that such websites often get along non exercise seize age verification tools to assure the participant is of effectual gaming age. The websites, the coalition adds, also come not get controls to prevent money laundering, nor make out they put in responsible gaming programs.
But since the offshore websites manage non operate from the US but from iGaming-friendly jurisdictions the likes of Malta, the Philippines, and Ise of Man, country gaming regulators and their associated jurisprudence enforcement agencies hold small recourse to tour after unregulated gaming operators.
Offshore websites can buoy simply disappear and go offline with their customers’ funds. And since the websites come non undergo background knowledge and suitability checks past body politic gaming regulators, it’s often unknown quantity who is slow the iGaming platforms.
The vii states are joined inwards their DOJ postulation past the American Gaming Association (AGA), the US gaming industry’s lobbying gird inwards DC.
“While prosecutions and convictions may be difficult to secure, the AGA firmly believes the Department can buoy wee-wee a strong and meaningful statement by investigating and indicting the largest seaward trading operations that openly violate federal and land laws,” the AGA wrote to Garland inward April 2022.
Offshore Revenue
The AGA believes unlicensed, unregulated offshore gaming websites generate porcine revenue of to a greater extent than $500 one thousand million annually. The connexion says if that keep down is comparatively accurate, the task benefit loss is upwards of $13 billion.
Illegal and unregulated play is a scourge on our society, taking vantage of vulnerable consumers, skirting regulatory obligations and robbing communities of decisive taxation revenue for infrastructure, education, and more,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Henry Valentine Miller inwards a release.
The DOJ has targeted unregulated online gaming platforms before, most notably in 2011 when the federal agency seized the online assets of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Ultimate Bet. The seizure occurred after those websites were deemed to be operating inward violation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act of 2006.