Ahead Of March Madness, SWC Applauds Youtube, Google Policy Updates
NASHVILLE -- Ahead of March Madness, the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council issued the following statement from Executive Director Mary Beth Thomas in support of YouTube’s and Google’s steps to limit advertising for illegal sportsbooks on the companies’ platforms.
Tennessee is the largest “online-only” sports betting market in the U.S. with more than $4.7 billion wagered in Tennessee last fiscal year through online sportsbooks licensed by the Council. There is typically significant wagering activity on March Madness.
“Illegal offshore sportsbooks are not going to go away easily, and it will take everyone working together – regulators, law enforcement and private industry – to eradicate unlicensed sportsbooks from Tennessee,” Thomas said. “The actions taken by Google and YouTube are an important step toward removing access to illegal online sportsbooks in Tennessee, such as BetUs, MyBookie, BetOnline and Empire, and we appreciate what their efforts will mean for Tennessee consumers.”
“These illegal sportsbooks often look legitimate with professional websites and apps with star athletes promoting them. They often contain false language purporting to be legal and advertise widely on the internet, radio and social media networks.
“The Council’s primary role is the protection of the public interest through a safe, regulated environment. The Tennessee Sports Gaming Act and the related rules of the Sports Wagering Council contain important consumer protections that licensed online sportsbook operators must follow such as:
- Ensuring that sportsbooks have sufficient funds in reserve to pay winning wagers;
- Preventing access by minors and other prohibited players;
- Providing responsible gaming resources and the ability to “opt-out” of wagering and receiving direct marketing materials; and
- Securing personal player data.
"Importantly, if a player in Tennessee encounters an issue with a licensed sportsbook, our Council stands ready to assist with the resolution of the player’s problem.
“In stark contrast to our legal sportsbooks, illegal operators are choosing to violate our state and federal law. They do not offer any of the same consumer protection mechanisms that the law requires of licensed entities. They do not restrict minors from accessing their site, they often extend credit to vulnerable individuals, and players have no way of knowing where and with whom their personal and financial data is shared after they log in to an illegal sportsbook. We cannot help players who get into a dispute with an offshore sportsbook, other than to continue our work to shut them down.”
Please visit the SWC website at https://www.tn.gov/swac/licensees-registrants.html for a list of sportsbooks licensed to do business in Tennessee.
About the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council
The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council’s primary role is to protect the public interest of Tennessee through a safe, regulated sports gambling environment. The SWC oversees the licensing and registration process for online sports wagering operators, sports wagering vendors, and fantasy sports operators. The state agency monitors and
enforces compliance with the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act and the Tennessee Fantasy Sports Act and related rules, including the assessment of the State’s privilege tax on sportsbooks.
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