March Madness in Connecticut Means Illegal Bookies Going After Bettors

The United States is bracing for the biggest college event known as March Madness, rivaled perhaps only by the college football season in so far collegiate contests go. This month, an estimated 45 million Americans are likely to place a bet with the total betting handle reaching $3.1 billion, the highest on record by the regulated gambling market in the US.

Connecticut Residents Targeted by Illegal Gambling Offers

In this context, though, the Department of Consumer Protection and Connecticut attorney general William Tong has warned that state residents may be inundated with numerous offers to participate in illegal gambling. Because of this, the pair have issued a warning as to who the licensed gambling operators in the state are, to name Play SugarHouse, DraftKings, and FanDuel.

The Department of Consumer Protection has confirmed that it has received signals from concerned citizens who have flagged offshore gambling websites that are currently targeting state residents and trying to solicit bets. The department is determined to limit the clout of such offshore gaming platforms by first raising consumer awareness, but stricter measures may be necessary. The department commissioner Michelle Seagull said in a statement:

“These illegal offshore gambling websites are highly professional organizations with large budgets, and often they market directly to Connecticut consumers using endorsements from retired famous professional athletes.”

Department of Consumer Protection commissioner Michelle Seagull

States such as New Jersey have issued a direct challenge to established offshore gaming websites and explicitly warned them to not pursue any course of action that would lead to players based in the Garden State registering and playing at their platforms.

This has worked for most of the prominent ones and there is a good reason why. As the world is looking to completely legalize sports betting, the role of offshore betting sites will diminish. This may not happen overnight but it will happen, nevertheless. When it does, any company that is designated a rogue party would be denied entry into the regulated market.

Many Dangers Lurk at Illegal Gambling Sites

Meanwhile, Connecticut officials have reiterated their warnings that websites that may be available to state residents could potentially be unlicensed which exposes consumers to various risks, from personal data leaks to no guarantees that they would ever receive any payouts that they have won.

There are other risks with choosing offshore gambling websites as well. Those websites often use high-pressure tactics to get more customers to play, and may not necessarily stick to responsible gambling standards. As March Madness is shifting into gear, Connecticut sports fans and bettors would undoubtedly be targeted by such parties with renewed zeal.