Last year, the American Gaming Association (AGA) generated $53 billion in gaming revenue. This amount would have been higher had it not been for unregulated, illegal offshore sports books and casinos. Because of this, AGA has requested the FBI to crack the whip on the offshore operators. AGA released a detailed report on the size and scope of the illegal offshore gambling industry. AGA is involved in lobbying for commercial casinos in the US.
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$511 billion is illegally gambled every year
AGA believes that approximately $511 billion is wagered illegally online every year. Due to this, the states where gambling is legal lose approximately $13 billion annually in terms of taxes. The unregulated gambling industry is widely spread across countries like the Philippines, Malta, the Isle of Man, and Gibraltar. Since the FBI’s authority can be extended to such gambling havens, they can help to successfully crack down on the operators and stop them.
The AGA president and CEO Bill Miller said he is hopeful that the federal law enforcers will take action sooner on the illegal gambling providers. He was addressing a National Conference of Legislators from the Gaming States team. They had converged at Resorts World, located on the Las Vegas Strip.
It has been more than 10 years since the last crackdown
More than 11 years have passed since the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies cracked down on unregulated gambling websites. The agencies targeted US households and raided Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet, and PokerStars. They were the largest unregulated operators at that time and had a strong presence in foreign jurisdictions. Their online assets were seized in an operation that was dubbed poker’s ‘Black Friday.’ Since then, new trends in online gambling have evolved, and the market has grown extensively.
The DOJ is quiet on the issue
Miller noted that the time is overdue for the FBI to take action on the rogue offshore operators. He said the indictment is the best solution that will render the operators powerless and make it harder for them to get licenses. So far, the DOJ has not issued a statement or commented on the issue. Surprisingly, the FBI officially received this request more than eight months ago. Miller urged the DOJ to treat this issue as a priority and act accordingly.
