Summary:
- Researchers say that offshore gambling sites are still appealing to US players despite the growth of legal online gambling.
- The study claims that online visibility and casino review websites are contributing factors.
- Experts warn that offshore platforms operate outside US regulations and may expose players to additional risks.
Despite legal online gambling expanding more and more across the United States, millions of Americans may still be finding their way to offshore betting websites.
Why Visibility Matters
A study published in the Journal of Gambling Studies found that the rising number of regulated online casinos and sportsbooks has not eliminated demand for offshore operators.
Instead, researchers noticed that visibility continues to play an outsized role in attracting players. Sociologist Sinyong Choi of Kennesaw State University examined why Americans continue to use offshore gambling sites despite the risks and increasing availability of legal alternatives.
Using “Routine Activities Theory” a criminology framework frequently employed to explain the way opportunities influence behavior, the study reached a surprising conclusion: since offshore platforms are easy to find online, the likelihood of them being used by players goes up.
In other words, if an offshore casino appears near the top of search results or is repeatedly mentioned on review websites, players are more likely to visit it.
“Key Predictor of Their Use”
That finding may not come as a surprise to anyone who has searched for terms like “best online casino” or “sports betting bonuses“. Search engines are filled with affiliate sites, rankings, and reviews, many of which direct users to operators licensed outside the United States.
The study argues,
Online visibility of offshore sites may be a key predictor of their use by U.S. players
Researchers also spoke about the importance of online casino review websites, explaining that they are often used as intermediaries between players and offshore operators.
Compared to regulated platforms in the US which fall inside the jurisdiction of American consumer protection laws, offshore sites are the opposite. In other words, they trigger concerns regarding the resolution of possible disputes, as well as responsible gambling measures, and the safety of online payments.
Since the Supreme Court decided to give up the federal ban on sports betting in 2018, dozens of states have legalized some form of online gambling. Nonetheless, the offshore market is still remarkably resilient.
Industry analysts have long argued that convenience, aggressive marketing, and access to products unavailable in certain states continue to drive traffic to offshore platforms.
The findings suggest that regulation alone may not be enough to steer consumers toward legal operators. In the digital age, being visible can be just as important as being licensed.
And for the offshore gambling industry in particular, that visibility continues to pay off.
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