What are offshore gambling sites?
What offshore internet gambling means – regardless of the ‘is offshore gambling legal?’ question – remains the same. And it’s almost exactly what it sounds like: an offshore betting site is one that is not covered by the legal authorities in the United States. In other words, it actually has nothing to do with location – although they would almost certainly be situated outside of the United States. Rather, it has to do with how betting sites in the United States are licensed.
Important to note too is that this is the case whether we’re talking about offshore casinos or offshore betting in general. Your best offshore gambling sites could, theoretically, be a sports betting sites casino betting operator, bingo site, or some kind of jack-of-all-trades offering, as far as the logistics of what is considered offshore betting.
Because what an offshore operator is depends on how licensing works in the United States, we thought it would provide vital context to discuss the law in the country in brief. We’ll then move specifically onto the law surrounding your best offshore gambling sites – if indeed, any operator could be considered to be anything other than a complete recommendation to avoid.
A brief summary of the United States gambling laws
Put simply, in the United States, the law surrounding online gambling – and gambling in general – goes on a state-by-state basis. That’s why the best online gambling sites for one part of the country may be completely different from another, and in many areas, is illegal entirely.
Areas where betting is legal includes the likes of Nevada, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. An example of a relevant licensing body would be the New Jersey Division of Gambling. Do keep in mind though that each state has a different governing body which handles gambling in that jurisdiction.
Indeed, the question of ‘is offshore gambling illegal?’, and whether it’s possible for us to recommend any of the best offshore gambling sites, would come down to these types of governing bodies, and their acceptance of outside regulation. Regardless of these legal complexities though, what constitutes an offshore gambling operator remains the same.
What offshore online gambling sites are isn’t actually dictated by their location, although your assumptions about their location being abroad would likely be correct. They’re instead dictated by their place outside the jurisdiction of those traditional licensing and governmental bodies. That said, we would expect to see a totally unregulated site in the United States to be more commonly referred to as an illegal operator rather than an offshore betting site.
Are offshore gambling sites legal?
Of course, none of this context actually answers the question of whether or not even the best offshore gambling sites are legal. Or is offshore gambling illegal?
Well, as you may have guessed considering what we’ve discussed about the restrictive gambling laws in the US, it’s not legal. To be absolutely clear, they are not legal under any circumstance at the time of writing. It does not vary on a state-by-state basis. There are no exceptions for any particular offshore betting site.
Some countries do make allowances for licensing from elsewhere, usually as long as they pass through some kind of scrutiny or legal framework. This is not true of the United States, though. In order for a site to be legal, it must be licensed through an authority of an American state. Thus, all offshore examples are, by definition, illegal.
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Important facts about offshore gambling
To bring together our discussion here with what we were talking about before – and make absolutely clear the illegal status of any offshore gambling sites – here’s a breakdown of the two key takeaways to bear in mind:
First is that an offshore betting site is any site which is not overseen by a relevant governing body. The relevant governing body varies by state. However, for a site to be considered to be offshore, it wouldn’t be available in any part of the United States. That means a site available in Pennsylvania but not New Jersey would simply be a site restricted in that state, rather than being an offshore betting site.
Confusingly, offshore betting has little to do with location. It’s more that being housed overseas is simply a very common trait amongst those considered the best offshore betting sites. If a site is not overseen by any American gambling governing body in any state – which would make them commonly known as an offshore betting site – they’re not legal in any form in the country. The difference between the legality of something like the Betway casino USA, for instance, entirely depends on their licensing and whether they’re covered by any relevant and credible authority.
Now we hope we’ve made the legality of even the best offshore gambling sites absolutely clear, we would like to do the same thing for our position on them. In fact, we wouldn’t consider any example of offshore internet gambling to be considered amongst your best options. While we suppose that logically, some would have worse practices than others – and that would, in theory, make some better than others – we don’t want to give the impression that we think any are worthy of your attention.
The bottom line is that if a site is illegal – which is undoubtedly the case with offshore USA examples – then they cannot be considered safe to use. Of course, any illegal and unsafe betting site will never get a recommendation from us, regardless of whether they’re considered among the best offshore gambling sites.
Five reasons to avoid offshore gambling sites
Is offshore gambling illegal? Yes. Do we ever recommend offshore online gambling sites? No. These answers may be straightforward, but as we’ve seen when discussing the legal situation in the United States, the reason behind them often has greater depths than you would likely imagine. This is also the case on the latter point. It’s not as simple as saying that no, we don’t recognise any of those considered the best offshore betting sites to be worthy of a recommendation.
In order to make our reasoning crystal clear, we’ve decided to break down five key reasons why offshore internet gambling is simply, in our opinion, not worth your time.
Even the best offshore gambling sites are illegal and unsafe
The phrase ‘best offshore gambling sites’ may actually be a bit of a misnomer. ‘Best’ would suggest recommended – and recommended would reasonably suggest legal and legitimate to a lot of people. Again, this is never the case. Any list of best offshore gambling sites – assuming they truly are offshore – means they’re both illegal and unsafe. Even the likes of Pinnacle sports offshore betting must be treated with caution.
Using these sites could have a wide variety of consequences. For instance, your details may be in jeopardy, including sensitive financial information. Furthermore, you have no legal backing. That means if the site were to refuse your withdrawal, there would be very little you can do from a legal standpoint. In addition, your personal details could be sold off, as an illegal betting site is not beholden to any kind of framework regarding your sensitive data or privacy.
In any offshore betting site – even with those considered among the best offshore gambling sites – you’re operating outside the law and there are great dangers which come with that.
There’s plenty of great betting sites available to Americans
The reality of the offshore gambling legal question should not disappoint you. The idea that you cannot find many excellent gambling sites in the United States is merely a myth perpetrated due to times now long since past.
America has nearly caught up with its European cousins in terms of the quality and variety of betting sites that are out there. In fact, for most people, the number of betting sites will probably be overwhelming. On top of that, American betting sites have also really upped their game when it comes to the quality of betting online bonus you can find, meaning you never have to settle for less.
You don’t need to miss out on international markets
We’ve talked about how you don’t need any list of best offshore gambling sites because you’ve already got so many different amazing American options. Well, one thing that we want to make clear is that while it’s certainly true that many American betting sites do naturally have a focus on the sports of their home nation, there’s no need to look elsewhere for more international flavours.
When conducting our sports betting reviews, we take into account the variety of markets from all across the globe – as we’re very much of the ‘more, the merrier’, ‘variety is the spice of life’ opinion when it comes to betting markets. Many US operators do an incredible job of this, meaning whether your favourite game is taking place on home soil or the other side of the world, it’ll be easy to find and bet on.
Things are only getting better
As you can probably tell, we think the betting selection available to American players is simply fantastic – easily beating out any list of best offshore gambling sites by a mile and then some. The most exciting thing about it though is that things are just getting started, as there seems to be a never ending selection of amazing betting sites to further enhance and improve the US betting scene.
More competition means better odds, more variety and more experiences, so you can find a site that isn’t just one of the best, but is ideal for you and your individual way of betting.
We’re here to be your guide
The only issue, of course, with there being such a massive amount of amazing options out there – and we’re not talking about the best offshore gambling sites here, but rather the legal, legitimate betting sites – is it can be tough to know where to begin looking. Well, our final reason you shouldn’t bet with offshore options is that we make it easy to understand which betting sites are worth your while, and ultimately, which option is right for you.
The best alternatives to offshore gambling sites
Of course, it’s far easier to imagine the many amazing betting sites that are out there when you have a couple of examples to help you get started. We’ve decided to select a delightful trio of delicious betting options for you to sink your teeth into, so you can get an idea of the sheer quality of options available to you. Keep in mind these are in no particular order.
Borgata
One of the first and best online sportsbooks to throw open those virtual doors to the people of New Jersey, Borgata still remains up there with the absolute best. It was an immediate smash hit, with an incredible selection of sports markets and a focus on the customer experience that is tough to beat. This includes great promotions, a fantastically easy to use design – whether you’re on desktop or mobile – and world-class customer support. The focus on American sports too makes this an ideal pick for those whose sporting interests lie at home.
William Hill
If Borgata isn’t quite international enough for you, then William Hill should make up for it. A global juggernaut, William Hill has spent the last few years not just being an option for American players looking to get in on some European action, but arguably the finest option for those with sporting tastes which cross continents. They’re another reason to pay no mind to the best offshore gambling sites.
BetMGM
When we talked about there being better options than any of the best offshore gambling sites, we can’t think of a better example than this. First off, there’s little confusion as to whether this operator is available legally in the US, considering it’s known for the epic MGM Grand in Las Vegas. What’s truly astounding though is that they bring that prestige to the screen, with an incredible betting experience which even translates to mobile. They're an American classic. Who needs the best offshore gambling sites?
Conclusion: There’s no need to look elsewhere for the best betting
The legalities of betting in the United States may seem complicated, but what they mean for you doesn’t have to be – particularly regarding the best offshore gambling sites. Put simply, if a site is offshore, that means it’s not under the authority of any legitimate or recognised US authority and is thus illegal to bet with.
This means that even the best offshore gambling sites are unsafe to bet with and there could be real financial consequences if you do. Instead, you can bet with any one – or more – of the amazing betting sites legally available to US players should you be in a state where that is permitted. And of course, we can help find one that is perfect for you, so be sure to check out our many other articles and reviews.
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Best Offshore Gambling Sites FAQ
❓What are offshore betting sites?
Although it’s a pretty common term, offshore betting sites is something which often causes confusion and misunderstandings among American betting fans, particularly in how it relates to licencing and location. In our look at what exactly constitutes the best offshore betting sites, we’ll be covering exactly what people are referring to when they say a betting site is offshore and what that means to you as a player.
✅Are offshore betting sites legal in the United States?
When it comes to betting in the United States, the legality of where you can bet, both in terms of states and betting sites, is something that plenty of people are interested in clearing up. Nowhere is this more true than offshore betting sites. So, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to make sure that you have everything you need to know when it comes to the legality of the best offshore gambling sites.This article will make clear how the law and licensing works for offshore betting sites, meaning you can find your favourites and sign up with confidence.
🔒Are offshore betting sites safe for American players?
When we talk about the best offshore gambling sites, the first thing people want to know is whether they’re safe to utilise these options as American players. The legal coverage you get as an American on international betting options is something a lot of people aren’t sure about, and because there is nothing as important as your safety when it comes to online betting, our recommendations always have flawless security at the top of our list of priorities. We will be putting that level of scrutiny on the best offshore gambling sites in this article.
☝What options are available if I don’t want to use offshore betting sites?
If you’re looking for the best offshore gambling sites, you also probably want to know about the alternatives that are out there if you decide it’s not for you. Indeed, depending on how our investigations turn out, it may be that we cannot recommend any of them to you based on your location. Should that be the case, you’ll need to know what else is available, and here at Captain Gambling, we’ve got all bases covered.
