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Opening doors in 2001, BetOnline sportsbook has seen its ups and downs, with problems ranging from security issues, restricting withdrawals, and even straight-out lies regarding the poker network they’ve joined.
Since then, there has been little improvement, and that's why BetOnline is blacklisted. But is BetOnline legal? Well, that question is exactly what our BetOnline review will address and we'll tell you straight whether depositing money here is a wise decision - or not.
The operator offers a 50% BetOnline bonus on the first deposit of up to USD 1,000, which has a wagering requirement of 10x and an expiry period of 30 days. Deposits made with Skrill and Neteller do not qualify for the bonus, just like any deposit without the bonus code.
Interestingly, all deposits of at least USD 50 can be rewarded with a reload bonus of 25% of up to USD 1,000. This is nothing to get excited about, and many will ask how does the BetOnline rollover work?
Well, the fact is that every deposit has a 6x rollover requirement at BetOnline, which is much less appealing than what's on offer at licensed casinos. Furthermore, it's not uncommon for customer support to be accused of lying about the terms and conditions. Frankly, our scam alert is already on HIGH right now!
Obviously important to any BetOnline review, the website is modern, however, the interface can't compete with industry leaders in that sense. The loading times are incredibly slow and this can be disappointing when racing to bet before the matches start or trying out Live Betting.
The top bar lets players navigate between sportsbook, racebook, casino, and more – which is standard for most sites - but generally, we found the site poor to average at best.
At BetOnline where deposits can be made with MasterCard, VISA, Money orders, Skrill, Neteller, and Bank wire transfers. However, some of these methods are not available when claiming bonuses. A fact that is conveniently hidden deep in the small print by BetOnline - this is hardly a 'transparent' operation from what we've seen so far!
In addition, withdrawals are not available via debit cards and must be claimed through Skrill, or Neteller. This is another oddity that puts our backs up as withdrawals should always be made to the method used for making a deposit.
But it gets even worse from that point on - every BetOnline withdrawal is charged a fee of USD 20, which makes it very impractical to move small bankrolls here. We recomend that you don't even deposit at this site in the first place!
This brings us to customer support and we found it interestingly hard to get hold of an agent and were forced to resort to using the 'Contact Us' webform.
Some 24 hours later we finally received a response - containing incorrect information. Support agents have been the focus of BetOnline ag scam reports in the past and we're not convinced that they won't be again in the very near future.
Better not to be in that situation in the first place - see our customer support ratings of legitimate operations in our Unibet sportsbook review and William Hill US review.
BetOnline ag has been in the center of heated debate over the past couple of years and rightfully so, as the company management obviously made some horrendous mistakes and don't seem to be doing much to retrieve the situation quite frankly.
Is BetOnline legit? No it is not. The company has a history of conflicts with players over balances and was even caught in an open lie relating to what was then the Chico Poker Network, but was actually BetOnline Poker.
Additionally, BetOnline gambling apps have been rated insecure in the past and have not been improved thus posing a severe threat to customers and their money.
Indeed, as with many offshore betting operators out there, there is no real possibility for one to pursue any potential injustice as there are no regulatory bodies US players could turn to. That is not just confined to BetOnline, it also applies to SBG Global offshore betting and many, many others. The fact is, that the bookie is the ultimate arbitrator for all issues and this is never a good thing for the player. Why?
Mainly because such operators will always protect their own interest and money, regardless of the mistakes made on their end or against them. The player, on the other hand, has no power and this can turn into a serious problem.
The changing laws have allowed regulated bookies in some US states. This means alternatives and fewer players willing to take risks by signing up with scam operations like BetOnline.
Returning players can supposedly get a 20% Weekly Esports Rebate - that's it. However, the failure to promote fair gambling practices renders this loyalty program totally worthless.
BetOnline has an array of sports and events in the offer, including NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, tennis, boxing as the most popular sports. Some of the less popular picks include soccer, darts, college basketball, cycling, and even eSports. Overall a very short list of sports on offer from BetOnline.
A major objection is the narrow selection for major events for sports listed, which is limiting to say the least – but commonplace for illegal offshore operators.
The odds at BetOnline are less than competitive and hold a promise of average payout at over 96%. However, you can never be sure of this sites ability to follow through on initial offerings and promises.
"BetOnline is a sportsbook that is serious about live betting" so the site says.
Fine if the quality of the site ever let it happen without technical issues from both the website and mobile options!
The BetOnline sportsbook claims that the maximum amount you can win in any 24-hour period is an entirely respectable $150,000.
However, the mere fact that this operator continues to skirt US state gambling laws, means that the betting limits are the least of our concern.
BetOnline is not our number one choice for online sports betting - far from it in fact.
We don't see any evidence of anything good, but there's certainly plenty of bad stuff and grey areas which came to light during our review.
Our recommendation? Avoid this site at all cost!
BetOnline, as many of the offshore bookies, works in grey areas and holds no license to offer services to US players but still does so. This means great danger for players having no other options for online gambling.
BetOnline's many payment options come with very high withdrawal fees so you'll want to look elsewhere to place your bets.
Yes, BetOnline charges its players USD 20 for every withdrawal request they make, regardless of the amount in question. This is unreasonable and you would be wise to find an operator that is fair.
Yes, all winnings are subject to taxation regardless of the fact bets had been made with an offshore operator, who almost certainly don’t bring any tax dollars along the way.
Sometimes. And that is all down to the fact that the ability to avoid taxes, fees, and expensive licenses to operate in the United States gives offshore operators a chance to offer better odds. However, this isn't always the case, and due to their many dangers it's just not worth the risk.
The changing US laws and regulations regarding online gambling will affect offshore bookies and casinos whether they like it or not. The 2018 laws created ways to bet online New Jersey in a legal environment regulated by the Division of Gaming Enforcement, opening the market and allowing licenses to a number of renowned companies to operate in the state.
While the legal repercussions for offshore bookies haven’t been as strict so far, meaning they have continued to operate in grey areas and allowed players from the United States, this could soon change. The offshore companies obviously pay no taxes and actively harm the market for regulated operators, capitalizing on the fact with somewhat better odds and luring offers. Additionally, the players have not been prosecuted and while this will probably not change, it’s worth to mentioned several states have laws allowing it.
However, with the obvious need to implement laws, more immediate dangers surely lay in the fact BetOnline, together with a number of other offshore casinos, could be shut down by the government or at least blacklisted for access from the United States.
This would damage the businesses but more importantly, it would damage players who could find themselves in trouble trying to recover funds – with no guarantees whatsoever. If you'd rather not take the risk, you could always look at fantasy sports websites as an option.
While BetOnline has been luring players for years regardless of the many negative reviews across the web, it’s obvious the trend has been falling and it’s even more apparent the looming availability of legal operators to bet with will see the drop increase. The Panama-based bookie has attracted many by flashy promos but these can often be deceiving and we can only strongly advise against moving your bankroll to an unregulated market.
Regulated operators have more checks and balances to follow as well as government agencies to answer to, which takes a lot off the mind for the players. It’s safe to say, moving with industry giants will never be a better idea than it is right now!
Regardless of where, when or how the US online gambling regulations pan out in the future, as of this moment, Captain Gambling has decided that BetOnline is not even close to being trustworthy and it is now blacklisted as far as we are concerned.
They always credited my deposits until they didnt...
nothing
The algorithm’s are ridiculous! Listen I am just saying I have lost thousands of dollars on this site playing poker! I have taking many notes and there is no way the way I play to lose that much. I have a spreadsheet of my winnings of live poker and online poker (betonline) winning’s and it is comical! So make up your own mind and it is fun to play buy be careful!!
21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.