The American Gaming Association has not hidden its ambitions for cracking down on illegal and offshore gambling industries in the United States and beyond. Now, the trade body is launching a dedicated “Stop Illegal Gambling” set of tools that seeks to empower ordinary bettors and operators and help them tell the difference between licensed and non-licensed products.

Tackling Offshore Gambling Through “Stop Illegal Gambling”

AGA is determined to help educate consumers and assist them in navigating through the subtleties of the experience. The trade body said that offshore and illegal gambling sites often end up trying to emulate a “slick” look, but they are in fact based outside of the United States and offering unregulated gambling, which could be a threat to consumers.

There is no guarantee of fair odds or payouts, and consumers are left without responsible gambling measures, AGA warns. The trade body also warns that because illegal operators work outside the law, they are not obligated to pay tax as well.

According to the organization, some 55% of sports bettors who bet illegally believe that they do so with a licensed and regulated operator. In the meantime, 76% or three-in-four sports bettors in the United States have placed an illegal wager whether wittingly or unwittingly. The organization wants to now rally more industry stakeholders and help safeguard consumers.

Thanks to the company’s new communications toolkit, AGA hopes that the industry will have the opportunity to drive the message home to consumers and help them distinguish between regulated and unregulated operators moving forward. The “Stop Illegal Gambling Toolkit” is intended mostly for operators who can impart knowledge to their consumers.

Integrating Powerful Assets into Operators’ Offer

The toolkit contains important bits of information such as Key Messages, Fact Sheets, and Social Media Content. AGA hopes that by bringing operators together it can tackle the sprawling issue that is illegal gambling and betting. The organization even sent a letter to the Wall Street Journal sharing its argument and current assessment of the state of sports gambling.

AGA touched on key messages of its program, such as anti-money laundering (AML) efforts which are so far disrupted by the strong presence of illegal gambling operators. However, the organization is also confident that with adequate support, it can tackle the issue.