Submission Title
Examining the Use of Offshore Online Gambling Sites in the United States via Routine Activities Theory: A SEM Analysis
Session Title
Session 1-4-D Policy and Regulation, Part 3
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation
Location
Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Start Date
23-5-2023 3:45 PM
End Date
23-5-2023 5:15 PM
Disciplines
Criminology | Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies
Abstract
Despite the recent proliferation of legal online gambling in the Unites States, offshore gambling sites still remain prevalent, accepting bets from American players in the U.S. Using these online gambling platforms based out of the U.S. has concerns for the U.S legal operators and risks of gambling addiction and consumer victimizations to players. Although numerous law violations occur in this domain, few criminological studies have empirically examined this illegal online gambling activity in the U.S. Therefore, this study attempted to explain how structural and operational factors of offshore gambling sites affect players’ decisions to use such sites by examining theoretical models based on routine activities theory. Major findings indicate that high visibility of offshore sites on the Internet led to a high usage of the sites by U.S. players. In addition, online casino reviews providing a blacklist of online gambling sites served as informal guardians, helping players avoid rogue gambling sites that pose a risk to their customers. Policy implications were suggested based on the findings and would provide insights toward effective online gambling regulatory efforts.
Keywords
Illegal online gambling, offshore gambling, online casino reviews, routine activities theory
Funding Sources
N/A
Competing Interests
N/A
Examining the Use of Offshore Online Gambling Sites in the United States via Routine Activities Theory: A SEM Analysis
Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Despite the recent proliferation of legal online gambling in the Unites States, offshore gambling sites still remain prevalent, accepting bets from American players in the U.S. Using these online gambling platforms based out of the U.S. has concerns for the U.S legal operators and risks of gambling addiction and consumer victimizations to players. Although numerous law violations occur in this domain, few criminological studies have empirically examined this illegal online gambling activity in the U.S. Therefore, this study attempted to explain how structural and operational factors of offshore gambling sites affect players’ decisions to use such sites by examining theoretical models based on routine activities theory. Major findings indicate that high visibility of offshore sites on the Internet led to a high usage of the sites by U.S. players. In addition, online casino reviews providing a blacklist of online gambling sites served as informal guardians, helping players avoid rogue gambling sites that pose a risk to their customers. Policy implications were suggested based on the findings and would provide insights toward effective online gambling regulatory efforts.