
GTbets opened its business in Curacao back in 2011 and offers US customers an offshore gambling resort with a sportsbook and casino. However, it also holds many risks for players which means that we have blacklisted GTbets!
With lack of suitable licenses, there is no real control over the bookie and we thus cannot suggest making an account here, but let’s now take on a detailed GTbets review to learn what the sportsbook is all about and the actual reasons why it should be avoided by the US players.
GTbets bonus consists of two deposit bonuses, where you get a match first deposit bonus of up to USD 500 as well as a 50% second deposit bonus of up to USD 250, with a 5x wagering requirement and a minimum eligible deposit of USD 35. The bonuses are not available for depositors using Skrill and Neteller – where the provider gets a little vague and advertises a single 50% bonus where players should contact customer support to claim it.
This might look good compared to offshore competitors, but still feels a long way behind the state-licensed casinos and bookies, who often give players better welcome packs including free money and bigger match deposit bonuses.
To compare this offering with bonuses from top betting sites, take a look at our guides to the latest DRF coupon code and TheScore sportsbook promo code offers.
GTbets app looks slick and boasts a modern design with big pictures and easy controls through a dropdown menu on the left, as well as all important links at the bottom of the page. However, this seemingly comes at a high cost in terms of functionality as the website can feel sluggish on occasions, which is literally unacceptable especially with live betting and cash outs.
The deposit options include a number of different options but get limited for US players, which is against a limiting factor. Players can use VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and gift cards to deposit money but the GTbets withdrawal options are even more restrictive – especially at the sole start.
All withdrawals attract a fee which is a percentage of the amount requested. In addition, management needs to approve players’ requests to withdraw via Direct Cash, Quick Cash, or Back2Card, which adds to the unwanted suspense and unpredictability of when (or if!) you'll get your payout. Otherwise, GTbets bank wire is available and takes a big fee of USD 60.
We find these extra costs highly unacceptable and they're certainly not something you'd find at any US licensed online casino or sportsbook - just another nail in the GTbets coffin!
The customer support is accessible on the website, with a Contact Us form in shape of a drop-down which links players to a number of different channels available. There’s one call center telephone line available through most part of the day, Live chat option which is online 24/7, as well as a number of e-mail addresses for different purposes.
While the CS offers different approaches, many reviews for GTbets have seen a mixed bag of opinions on their professionalism, friendliness, speed, numbers of knowledgeable agents, and more. We have also seen the live chat inexplicably unavailable at certain points, which can be worrying for some players. Another reason to avoid this site.
Indeed, sports betting books have been in the focus of online controversy as offshore betting companies enjoyed a limited market with no great possibilities for American players over the years. This has been slowly changing and the lenient gambling laws have now allowed prominent bookies to ask for online licenses in many states – most prominently New Jersey and Nevada – which has affected the development of the market.
While the offshore online casino operators still offer US players access to their sportsbook, with legal alternatives and renowned companies moving into the market come increased choices – which could soon see a halt in the offshore business. The state-licensed bookies offer high-quality service with a guarantee of fair play and player safety, regulated by government agencies such as Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Completing a detailed GTbets sportsbook review is impossible without questioning is GTbets legal, which holds no simple answer and asks for a closer look at the US laws and regulations. The offshore operator holds no license to operate in the United States but still accepts US players, using loopholes and working in a grey area to provide such services.
GT sportsbook thus works as the sole arbitrator when it comes to issues with players from the United States, which comes as a worrying factor for more experienced players who have had such contacts with operators before – knowing well the customer support often only works to protect the interest of the company.
The changing laws have now allowed the players with legal alternatives, where many renowned companies opened online businesses with proper licenses to better satisfy the customers' need to take their gambling on the go or from the comfort of their home.
This brings on a question of how long it takes for the government to start controlling the market strictly, which could see the offshore operators shut down or blacklisted and prosecuted. While there have been no player prosecutions yet, this also holds dangers for player data and funds in such circumstances – which could be unretrievable if such a scenario. Simply put, avoid GTbets!
GTbets has a reward program that intended to make sure you keep gambling. It’s a loyalty scheme called GameTime Rewards where you pick up points for every time that you try real money wagering on anything from casino games to sports bets and online poker. When you’ve got enough of these points, you can redeem them for a range of benefits. These could include anything from wagering credit to airline flights.
However, it's pretty unlikely that you'll get anything back from this reward program, as many player reviews suggest and if you want airline tickets you may as well just buy them outright, getting them this way would cost tens of thousands. This loyalty program is so unfairly weighted that it would not be permitted at any US licensed operation.
As said, the betting offer at Gets bet is largely pointed towards pleasing the US market, where all major sporting events get coverage in a base of categories such as baseball, football, hockey, basketball and many others.
There is some international coverage too, mainly focused on soccer, rugby, and e-sports. The operator also boasts their fantasy football section but still lack depth for players only focusing on international events. So go elsewhere for a better sports betting experience.
GTbets sportsbook brings players dismal odds we've gotten used to seeing with offshore companies, and they can often feel behind with times when they're posted ahead of the events. Interestingly, this also goes for fantasy football where the juice stands at -120 just as with the many props.
We’re all big fans of live betting and we were pleased to see that live bets are available at GTbets for various sports including MLB, baseball, soccer, boxing, tennis and even table tennis. However, the reality is that there is no live streaming here, and it’s a barely adequate live betting platform, which we found extremely disappointing.
GTbets has a table that explains all of the wagering limits for different sports, up to a ridiculously low maximum bet of $1,000 on a few sports.
This is probably more than enough for most casual punters, but much less than you can get at legit sportsbooks and our advice is to scroll on by.
The truth is that GTbets is put on a pretty lame online sportsbook. It’s odds are mediocre, it covers all major US sports and not much more, and the live betting platform is barely functional. The only mild positive were those betting limits, as at least you know where you’ll stand even if it's not in a good place.
All in all a sub-par offering from GTbets and we recommend you don't even bother wasting your money here.
GTbets is legal only because the government agencies don’t pursue individual players, as the operator uses loopholes to offer service to US players – which could soon come to an end.
The deposit and withdrawals for US players are very limited, which adds to the overwhelming feeling of insecurity. The options include debit cards, Direct Cash, Quick Cash, and Back2Card.
Yes, the age of majority with the bookie is 21 and you have to be at least 21 to be able to place bets, which is only requested as info need to authorize withdrawals.
Odds vary and can be better at GTbets on some occasions, as the bookie has no fees or US taxes to cater and can allow players an edge in that sense. However, this is not always true and requires further investigation for certain events.
Yes, US players are obligated to pay taxes on any winnings by gambling laws, regardless of the operator they’ve made bets with and their potential incentives to avoid it by using alternative payment methods.
GTbets has been offering US players an alternative online gambling experience when there were still few legal opportunities, which largely increased their player base and popularity. However, we are strongly opposed to gambling with offshore companies and the truth is the dangers of doing so exceed the potential rewards by far.
Legal alternatives are now many and you can always pick from one of the state-licensed bookies, who offer industry-standard and quality service when it comes to safety, betting offer, better bonuses, and great customer care. Hopefully, the legislation changes will continue and players will get access to such service country-wide in the near future. So avoid GTbets for now.
21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.