International Betting Sites

What is Offshore Betting?

In a nutshell, offshore betting is when you place your bets at international bookmakers licensed and regulated in jurisdictions other than yours. For instance, for an American bettor, an offshore betting site is one operating from outside the US. Similarly, for an Aussie punter, an offshore betting site is a bookie that offers its products from abroad and not from Australia.

So, why is offshore betting such a big deal? First, you hear so much about offshore betting because it is widespread. There are thousands of international betting sites, and it is quite easy to join most of them. Moreover, the best among them boast enticing markets and odds, so it pays well to place your bets there.

However, there is also another reason why offshore betting is getting so much attention. Domestic bookies often feel there is unfair competition when an offshore sportsbook enters their regulated market. So, they urge regulators and authorities to act and stop them.

And if you look at things from domestic bookies' perspective, they might have a point. After all, these are bookmakers within a regulated market that pay licensing fees, provide tax revenue to governments, and incur other concession-related expenses. So, they want to be the only ones allowed to offer online betting products within that market. However, when there is no decent bookie in a regulated market, offshore betting sites are an excellent alternative.

International Betting Scene Explained

The sports betting scene constantly changes and evolves, even when confined to a single market. That's great for bettors as it allows them to check out new betting products and enjoy innovative perks resulting from thatct competition between domestic bookmakers.

Interestingly, that's also what international betting sites have to compete with when they want to penetrate a new market. So, it is fair to say that offshore gambling sites must work extra hard to meet the demands of multiple markets. Once again, bettors are those who benefit.

For instance, international sports betting sites targeting the US, European, and Australian markets have to boast sports events from the NFL, NBA, MLB, the UEFA Champions League, the AFL, and the NRL. And that's just the start. These offshore sportsbooks must also include second-tier competitions, reserve leagues, amateur tournaments, etc. The markets and odds have to be top-notch too.

In short, an international bookie competes with all local sportsbooks at their own game and tries to beat them. It is easy to see how punters are the ones profiting from this bookmaker rivalry.

International Sports Betting Sites – Legal And Regulated Markets

Wonder whether online sports betting is legal where you live? Wonder no more. We tell you which markets are completely regulated and which jurisdictions allow legal betting, but only in some areas and regions.

Completely Regulated Markets

International online betting sites are on the rise, and that's to be expected, considering that there is a worldwide tendency to legalize sports betting. These days, there are more and more countries with completely regulated sports betting markets, and that number is bound to go up. Here's a list of some more prominent and completely regulated betting markets:

• Australia

• Austria

• Canada

• Colombia

• France

• Germany

• Ireland

• Italy

• Spain

• Sweden

• the Netherlands

• the UK

In these countries, it is legal to play at online sports betting sites. However, each market comes with its unique laws. For instance, pregame bets are perfectly legal in Australia, but live betting still isn't. In Canada, on the other hand, only parlay bets were allowed until August 2021. However, now you can place both single and accumulator wagers.

As we mentioned, the list of countries and regions that will legalize betting will only get bigger. For example, Brazil will soon become a completely regulated market. Similarly, the US is taking giant steps towards legalizing gambling in each state, and to the joy of all US bettors, that might happen pretty soon.

Partly Regulated Markets

There are also markets where online sports betting is regulated but not fully or not in all areas and regions. Let's look at some of these countries and explain why online sports betting is only partly regulated in each.

• Argentina

• Nigeria

• Russia

• the Philippines

• the USA

There are two reasons why the status of sports betting is considered partly regulated in these markets. One group of countries, such as the USA, Argentina, and Russia, regulate sports betting but not across their entire territory.

For instance, in the USA, online betting and sportsbooks are legalized in some states, such as New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Colorado. However, in others like California and Florida, it still isn't. Similarly, in Argentina, sports betting is regulated by provinces, while sports wagering in Russia is regulated in only four regions.

The other group of countries with partly regulated markets allows in-person betting but forbids online betting. Nigeria is one such nation. The situation is similar in the Philippines. However, if you visit the Philippines, you will notice another interesting phenomenon - tourists getting special betting privileges not available to locals.

International Sports Betting Sites – Unregulated Markets

Even though the number of regulated sports betting markets is on an upward trajectory, some countries still frown on online gambling and sports betting. However, this list is not written in stone, and chances are some of these markets will have a change of heart soon. So, make sure to come back to Betpack at a later time and check if the situation has changed.

• Bahrain

• China

• Egypt

• India

• Japan

• Qatar

• Saudi Arabia

As you can see, this list is mostly comprised of countries where gambling has always been denounced. However, there are still some exceptions. For instance, in Japan, betting on horse racing is legal. In Egypt and India, on the other hand, in-person betting is forbidden by law, but there are no regulations for online sports betting and online gambling.

How Safe is Sports Betting Online?

Betting online is really safe today, especially when placing your bets at reputable online bookies. Gone are the days when you entered your personal info and then kept your fingers crossed not to get scammed. Customer protection is a top priority for the best offshore betting sites, and they utilize the latest security technology to achieve that. Make sure to check the reviews when choosing.

UK bookmakers full list, including top offshore betting sites, rely on state-of-the-art encryption protocols to ensure the security of your personal and financial information. They encrypt the connection, and the data you enter is so scrambled not even the most persistent hackers can use it.

However, no security technology protects you from being careless. So, you must pick a reliable betting app or site. Also, don't give your valuable info to everyone that asks for it. Entering your financial information before depositing at trusted sites is one thing. Leaving it to a fraudulent foreign scammer is quite another.