With more than 1.6 billion people gambling around the world, you too might be interested in dabbling in the world of gambling. Taking the time to learn more about offshore betting sites is a smart move to ensure that you don’t lose your hard-earned money. We have put together this guide to share facts you need to know about offshore betting sites.

Our guide below will go over the top facts that you need to know. 

1. It’s Quite Safe

Something that you might not be aware of is that online sports betting is pretty safe nowadays. Most offshore betting sites are now getting licensed because the industry has become more regulated in recent times. The key is to find a betting site that is licensed and regulated so that you can have peace of mind.  

2. Industry Is Growing

Up until more recent times, online sports betting wasn’t legal in many countries. Since the early 2020s, the online sports betting industry has been growing rather quickly. This has led to more countries legalizing sports betting. 

In places like Europe, online sports betting is available almost everywhere and it is legal. Many states in the U.S. have also legalized online sports betting and other countries such as Asia, South America, and Africa have followed suit.    

3. Football Is Popular

Football or what Americans call soccer is at the top of the betting industry. This is actually the most popular sport to bet on because soccer has more than 30 billion fans around the world. With the sport being so popular, this also makes it a popular sport to bet on. 

4. No Need to Disclose Your Social

Not every betting website will force you to disclose your social security number, so if this is a concern you have, you just have to look for a site that doesn’t demand this piece of information. Believe it or not, there are plenty of sites that have zero interest in knowing what your social security is. 

With most websites, all you need to do is provide proof that you are the age you are saying you are. This will keep minors and underage people from betting illegally. 

5. Bonuses

Most online betting websites offer certain bonuses and benefits. The most common bonuses include insurance bonuses and free bets. Normally, these bonuses are offered to first-time users because they want to entice more people to bet on their website. 

6. Golf Is Also Popular

Although soccer is the most popular sport to bet on online, golf is up there as well. It is also top-rated among bettors. One of the reasons that golf is so popular is because this is a sport that you can bet on year-round since golf is not played in seasons like other sports. 

Bettors for golf are present year-round whenever the opportunity for betting on golf, if available. 

Is It Legal to Place Bets From the U.S.?

The answer is – yes. It is 100% legal to place online offshore bets while you are residing in the United States. There is no federal law that criminalizes someone for placing an offshore bet online. The key is to check what is legal in the state you are in. 

There are some states that have stricter laws when it comes to online gambling or online sports betting. As of the writing of this post, Washington state and Utah have completely outlawed all types of online gambling, so do not bet online while you are in either state. It is actually considered a felony in these states. 

Cons of Offshore Betting

We think that it is necessary to also be aware of the cons of offshore betting, so that you can make an informed decision. A major con is that there are not many regulations. This lack of regulation can lead to having issues when you are trying to take out your money.

Another risk you run is having your private information exposed because the website might not have strong security on their site. You might also deal with the lack of impartial regulators that can help you have a fair dispute resolution with certain online offshore betting sites.   

Some countries though, like the U.K. guarantee bookie bets to be paid, or else the government wouldn’t allow them to operate in the country, and furthermore they would have their licenses revoked. 

Tax Laws

If you are betting while you’re in the U.S. you might think that because offshore betting doesn’t fall within the banking system in the United States you are not responsible for paying Uncle Sam. The truth is that you are still responsible for paying taxes on your gains. Do not try to not claim your winnings because the IRS can catch up with you and force you to pay back taxes if they find out that you omitted your winnings in your taxes. 

Women Don’t Feel Left Out

Online sports betting is not only for the men, women are totally into this type of betting as well. The truth is that women are a lot more likely to sign up for online sports betting sites than men. More women are becoming interested in placing bets on sports and this will continue to grow in popularity.

Feeling Like an Offshore Betting Site Pro?

With sports betting growing in popularity, we hope that our facts above will make you feel more comfortable betting online. Make sure to do your homework and check if the betting site is reputable. Do your due diligence to ensure that you don’t end up losing your hard-earned money on a shady website. 

Remember that the best online offshore betting sites have made betting a lot more convenient and user-friendly no matter the level of experience you have. You can place a bet from the comfort of your home or wherever you are without having to step foot into a physical betting location. 

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