The US Department of Justice has responded to recent concerns about offshore gambling sites from state gaming commissions with a letter and a promise to crack down on unregulated. Though the letter lacked details, the tone was supportive of the industry’s concerns and promised to take the issue seriously.
The letter, which was posted on the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s Twitter/X page, was a direct response to a letter sent earlier this year by the NGCB and six other state regulators outlining their specific concerns about offshore gambling. A similar letter was sent to the DOJ by the American Gaming Association last month. In that letter, regulators like Michigan Gaming Control Board Executive Director Henry Williams expressed their concerns saying, “Offshore operators flaunt state regulations and offer products that do not protect the public, which greatly concerns me and my fellow state regulators.”
Without promising any specific actions, the DOJ was supportive of the gaming regulators saying, “We appreciate your views on this matter. The Department has undertaken, and continues to pursue, investigations into illegal gaming. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the investigative arm of the Department tasked with vetting allegations of violations of federal gaming laws. When the violations have been sustained, the FBI will forward the allegations to the appropriate federal prosecuting authority to pursue charges, likely a US Attorney’s Office in the jurisdiction where the crimes have occurred.”
The letter continues in vague bureaucrat-speak saying, “The Department takes seriously the issue of illegal gambling, including illegal online gambling, and continues to successfully investigate and prosecute illegal Internet gambling. The FBI works hard to establish and maintain strong partnerships with both public and private entities to combat illegal gaming. The Department appreciates the adverse impact illegal gambling has on individuals and communities and will continue to use all available tools to detect, investigate, and prosecute such illegal activity.”
DOJ officials no doubt take offshore gambling seriously and despite the vague nature of their response, it’s likely that illegal gambling sites will be feeling increased pressure from US law enforcement.