Sportingbet settles
In 2006 the online gambling world was shocked when a last minute change to the SAFE port act introduced the UIGEA which would make the transfer of funds to online gambling sites illegal.
Sports betting, casino, horse-racing, poker, and many forms of online gambling would be shut up because of the UIGEA. Any company that offered their services to American players got themselves into legal troubles in America. Sportingbet a sports betting site was one of the companies which found themselves in a big legal mess.
In 2006 following the UIGEA the sports betting site Sportingbet’s CEO was apprehended in New York. The arrest was a sign that Sportingbet got themselves into legal troubles in America because of the new bill for offering sports betting online to American players and accepting their funds transfers. Recently the sports betting company reached a settlement with the Department of Justice to the tune of 33,000,000 dollars. The sports betting companies’ settlement could help pave the way for others to attain a clean slate in America.
The sports betting company Sportingbet isn’t the only company working on clearing their name in America. Last year Party Gaming reached a much larger settlement which helped clear their name and wipe away all of their legal problems in the United States.
Sportingbet and Party Gaming aren’t the only companies in legal trouble within the United States. If sports betting, poker, and other gambling sites attempt to clear their names in America, there might be hope for those Americans who are waiting for a change with the UIGEA. One day Americans might be able to return to their favorite online sports betting and gambling sites.
This is a step in the right direction for the unclear legal landscape with respect to online gambling, let’s hope more will follow.