As football season kicks off, gaming regulators warn players about illegal sites

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While Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer, it also means the kickoff of football season. And here in New Jersey, gaming officials are reminding residents to steer clear of illegal sites when betting on football and/or playing in daily fantasy contests.

The warning comes from the Office of the Attorney General, the Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE), and the Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA).

“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 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.”

As officials urged players to avoid unregulated, illegal sportsbooks and fantasy sports sites, they noted those operations may be offshore and lack operational and financial controls; proper and timely payment processing; dispute resolution processes; transparent ownership; and anti-money laundering controls.

Regulators are also telling players to be on the lookout for red flags – which may indicate an illegal site or sportsbook – such as:

• Accepting deposits or making payments in cryptocurrency and Bitcoin;
• Offering bets on political contests, which are not approved by DGE as events for sports wagering;
• Charging fees for processing deposits or withdrawals;
• Advertising bonuses and promotions that seem too good to be true; or
• Operating without a “.com” or using a domain from outside the U.S.

“The problems with illegal sportsbooks are numerous,” said DGE Director David Rebuck in a press release. “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.”

“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 Cari Fais, acting director of the DCA. “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.”

More information is available here about valid sportsbooks and fantasy sports operators in New Jersey as well as responsible gaming efforts being undertaken by gaming regulators.