November 01, 2021 News & Views » The Urbanist

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Why Are Offshore Sportsbooks Popular in the US? 

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For a long period, US sports fans had to turn to top offshore sports books for betting opportunities. The reason for this lies in the PASPA restrictions from 1992, which made sports betting illegal on the federal level. Nevertheless, this changed in 2018, when the Supreme Court annulled the law mentioned above, allowing individual states to legalize online sports betting within their own borders.


As a result, some states have made sports betting legal. Now, US has regulated online sportsbooks to boast about. However, many bettors still seem to prefer offshore betting platforms. If you’re curious about why that may be, stay with us and read about the reasons behind this choice.

Where You Live Makes a Difference

So far, around 18 states have decided to allow their residents to bet on sports from the comfort of their couch. Some of them are Arizona, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, etc.


Yet, in a number of states, this hobby is still illegal. People who happen to be unlucky enough to live in one of those have to resort to offshore sportsbooks to pursue this pastime.

Old Habits Die Hard

As we have said, up until 2018, all American sports enthusiasts had to use offshore sportsbooks if they wanted to place bets. That wasn’t so long ago, which is why it’s not surprising that many people still haven’t moved on to US-regulated online sportsbooks.


Offshore sportsbook platforms had years to build trust and earn the loyalty of US players. For the inexperienced online sportsbooks from the US, these are more than a tough competition to beat. We can’t expect this change to happen in a day.

If It’s Not Broken, Don’t Fix It

Offshore sportsbook platforms have been tested by many bettors over the years. They hold legit licenses and have long-standing experience in the industry. As a result, they have a great reputation and numerous satisfied customers. That’s not something loyal bettors will just turn their back on.


Offshore sportsbooks have grown to feel like a safe, comfortable, and welcoming place to bet in. Add other good qualities and a great track record to the mix, and you will get the platforms that are not easy to give up on.

An Offer Hard to Resist

Since they have to cater to players globally, offshore sportsbook operators have a wide selection of sports and cover many matches and events. Meanwhile, the US-regulated sportsbooks tend to stick with the well-known and popular sports in the US.


So, those among you whose taste reaches beyond the borders of the US favorites and into the uncharted territories of other sports — from soccer to handball — might prefer offshore bookies.

Paying the Odds

Often, the cost of licensing in one country is much higher than in other places. Since the bookies in regulated markets can’t choose the fees and taxes that they have to pay, customers get the short end of the stick. That is, a part of those fees/taxes falls on the bettors in the form of a price for some services.


On the other hand, offshore operators can scour the world to find what suits them best. So, sometimes it’s just cheaper to bet on an offshore sportsbook gambling site.

How You Foot the Bill Matters

While we’re on the subject, we should also mention available payment methods. Offshore bookies tend to have a longer list of options on their cashier pages. While American operators, who are new to the field, tend to play it safe by offering traditional banking methods, offshore sportsbooks venture much further.


If you’re a fan of cryptocurrencies, for example, you’ll be able to use these with an offshore operator. You’ll get to use the likes of Bitcoin, XRP, Dogecoin, Litecoin, etc. when betting on the sports of your choice.


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