The start of a new football season inevitably means the start of a barrage of promotions from operators and affiliates in the sports betting space, both regulated and offshore.
Even though New Jersey is the most mature online sports betting market in the US outside of Nevada, the state’s Attorney General Matthew Platkin still wanted to encourage the state’s sports fans to be on the lookout.
His office issued a press release in tandem with the Division of Gaming Enforcement and the Division of Consumer Affairs cautioning that there are sportsbooks out there pretending to be regulated in the US.
“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. And for those who may need help with a gambling problem, know that help is available.”
“The problems with illegal sportsbooks are numerous,” added DGE Director David Rebuck. “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.”
The release offered some things to be on the lookout to identify unsanctioned sportsbooks. Examples include cryptocurrency deposits, sites that offer markets on things like elections, and sites with URLs that end in something different than “.com”.
“For many fantasy sports participants, the start of the football season is an especially exciting opportunity to test their knowledge of the players and the game by drafting and managing their own virtual team in fantasy football contests,” said Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs Cari Fais. “Today we’re reminding these armchair managers that the most important pick of a winning season is selecting a fantasy sports operator that is properly permitted and doing business legally in New Jersey to ensure the game is fair and everyone is playing by the rules.”
