Illegal sportsbooks supersedes legal operators in March madness betting

In 2024, a study on the men's and women's March Madness tournaments found that, even with the increased availability of legal sports betting in the US, the amount of action from illegal offshore sportsbooks still exceeded that of regulated books.

According to the report, during March Madness this year, at least 378 online sportsbooks deliberately targeted American consumers. Over 650 affiliate websites advertised websites that offered illicit sports betting.

 

[Daniel04]

Legalizing and regulating gambling is a gradual process. It's good that studies are tracking consumer behavior, as it will help regulators understand where to target resources to protect consumers and shift the market towards safe, legal options over time.