Summary
Despite the recent growth of legal online wagering in the Unites states, ocean going wagering sites still remain prevalent, causing various problems in the You. S. Although numerous law violations occur in this domain, previous research has reported limited information about ocean going wagering, mostly focusing on ocean going https://thabet0.nl/ gamblers’ characteristics and inspirations. Using routine activities theory, this study attempted to understand environmental and theoretical factors that affect the use of ocean going sites by focusing on ocean going gambling-generating contexts that involve ocean going sites and online casino reviews. Major findings show that the online visibility of ocean going sites may be a key predictor of the use of the sites by You. S. players. In addition, online casino reviews providing a blacklist of online wagering sites served as informal guardians, helping players avoid difficult to rely on ocean going wagering sites that pose a risk to their customers. Policy benefits were suggested based on the findings and provided ideas toward effective online wagering regulatory efforts.
Keywords: Illegal online wagering, Ocean going wagering, Cybercrime, Online casino reviews, Routine activities theory, Structure picture modeling
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Introduction
The You. S. has recently experienced the relaxation of wagering prohibitions (both not online and online). Internet wagering has traditionally been federally restricted in the You. S., yet its permits can be issued on the state level. Indeed, progressively more states have recently legalized online wagering. Only a few states, including Nevada, Delaware, and New jersey, offered certain forms of legal online wagering before the first half of 2018; however, a growth of legal online sports gambling across the states, caused by the repeal of the former federal ban on interstate sports gambling in 2018, has expanded the legal online wagering market in many places. Legal online wagering is now available in more than twenty states in 2023 (“States that offer, ” in. d. ).
Despite the recent expansion of legal online wagering market in the You. S., the ‘black market’ of online wagering sites continue to benefit from American players. The American Gaming Association (AGA)’s report in 2019 showed that approximately $150 thousand worth of wagers placed by Americans went to illegal sports gambling operations each year (p. 7). Furthermore, its survey on You. S. sports bettors in 2020 reported that the number of You. S. players using ocean going online sports gambling sites increased 24% in states where sports gambling is not yet legalized and even 3% in legal states from a year ago (American Gaming Association, 2020). These illegal online wagering sites do not hold a valid driver’s license issued by wagering authorities in the united states but can be accessible from the You. S. regardless of their base and legitimacy in other jurisdictions (Gainsbury et al., 2018). Most of these sites are known as ocean going wagering sites that operate outside of the You. S., but tend to accept gamble from customers who are now living the jurisdictions where their operating driver’s license is not valid (Gainsbury, Abarbanel, & Blaszczynski, 2019; Schmidt-Kessen et al., 2019).
Ocean going wagering sites are a major concern for local governments (Gainsbury et al., 2013, 2019). As they are not be subject to the regulations set by the You. S. wagering authorities, ocean going sites are mostly free from any obligation added on operators licensed within You. S. region. For instance, they are less likely than domestic/regulated ones to provide robust consumer defenses or encourage responsible wagering practices (Gainsbury et al., 2019; Gainsbury, Parke &Suhonen, 2013). Also, they don’t need to abide by federal anti-money laundering deference requirements and other financial obligations (e. h., local taxes and licensing fees) added by You. S. wagering authorities. At the same time, the fact that most ocean going sites are operating out of “tax getaway countries” allows them unfair competitive advantages over domestic operators; specifically, such financial evasion enables them to maintain their operation with lower costs, offer customers higher possibilities and better services, and provide more features and a bigger variety of gaming options (Gainsbury et al., 2018, 2019). Therefore, the entrenchment of ocean going wagering entities is a serious threat that moves a potential risk to players, compromises the value of domestic, legal, taxpaying gaming entities, and harms the local economy.