Best offshore sportsbooks for online betting?

Alright, thanks...

I suppose if they had FanDuel, they’d probably need to allow deposits via PayPal or some similar service too. They always tack on a few percent in fees—honestly, I can't quite recall the exact amount...

It would be better to just email DraftKings directly... then you’ll actually have some certainty.

Greetings.

I have encountered an issue, and I hope I am posting in the right place.

The situation is this...

I held an active account with DraftKings for about a year when they suddenly suspended me without any clear explanation. I reached out via chat and email to ask why, but their only response was some vague mention regarding a violation of the Terms of Use.

I remain convinced that I did nothing significant enough to warrant such a suspension.

Does anyone have any insight on how one might establish a new account, given that I can no longer register under my own name?

Furthermore, would anyone be willing to open an account in their own name for my use? I am prepared to offer compensation for this arrangement.
🤷 Any assistance or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Has anyone here dealt with DraftKings before? Do I really need to start uploading all those documents right away?

I’m playing normally for now, and I already sent an email, but they're insisting I upload everything ASAP. Honestly, I'm just not feeling it. I always assumed this kind of thing was only necessary once you actually hit the withdrawal button, you know?

If you used a credit card, you've got a three-day window to get those documents submitted

swiftlynx34 said:It’s obviously not illegal, but since these scammers can see...

Betting on offshore sites isn't actually legal—I think fines go from $10,000 up to $50,000 $0.00 for an individual

Christian Hernandez11 said:If you used a card, you've got a three-day window to get those docs over to them.

Alright, thanks. I sent them an email letting them know I'd handle it in about a week, and they said that was fine.

Now, what on earth is this supposed to mean: "Credit Card Statement"?

I figured out I need to send my driver's license or passport—front and back—along with a photo of the card I used for the deposit, but this part here is still a bit fuzzy...

darkhound77 said:Betting through offshore sites isn't legal here, and fines can hit an individual anywhere from $10,000 up to $50,000.$0.00 for a private citizen

I wonder how that square with European Union laws regarding the free movement of capital? Or more importantly, doesn't it clash with the whole fundamental concept of equality? If some other citizen in the EU can do it, why are we stuck in the US being unable to play online?

darkhound77 said:Betting with offshore bookies isn't exactly legal around here—if you get caught, you’re looking at fines anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000. It's one of those things that sounds like a minor thing until the government decides to make an example out of you. $0.00 For an individual.

It’s perfectly legal if you aren't paying from within the States. 🙂

Gerald Jones56 said:How does that even square with European Union laws regarding the free movement of capital? And more importantly—what about the whole fundamental principle of equality? It feels like a total double standard if an EU citizen can jump in and play online betting games whenever they want, but we’re stuck sitting on the sidelines here in America.

What does it even matter when the law—I was digging through some legal archives earlier—don't ask why, I just have these weird rabbit holes I fall down—and stumbled upon this specific section regarding the laws governing foreign publishers operating within the United States. It’s one of those dense, dry pieces of legislation that makes you realize just how much red tape exists before someone can even think about distributing content here. It basically outlines the regulatory framework that any outside entity has to navigate if they want to publish or distribute work under our domestic legal umbrella. It’s pretty straightforward in theory, but once you start peeling back the layers of compliance and jurisdiction, it gets complicated fast. It’s less about "can we publish?" and more about "how many hoops do we have to jump through to satisfy the federal government?" Anyway, I found myself wondering if anyone else has run into these specific hurdles when dealing with international licensing. It feels like there's always a catch when you're trying to bridge that gap between overseas creators and the American market. Just one of those things that seems simple until you actually have to read the fine print.It still hasn't been updated. And there it says—I mean, I think this has been pointed out at least five times now—but it’s right there in plain English:

Chapter IX. FOREIGN GAMBLING AND LOTTERIES
Article 68.
What’s off-limits:
Basically, we’re talking about how foreign organizers can run sweepstakes under Article 5 or those prize games mentioned in Article 69 of the law within the United States.
2. Participation in foreign gambling if the stakes are being placed from within the United States.
So, there’s this whole thing regarding how you go about collecting winnings in America when you’ve been playing those sweepstakes or games of chance hosted overseas—it’s a bit of a headache, really. It’s all about that specific legal framework governing how funds from foreign gaming operations are brought back into the States and handled under our domestic regulations. It’s one of those gray areas where you realize just how much paperwork can get between you and your jackpot if you aren't careful.
Selling, holding onto, leasing, or even just running ads and general promos for foreign gambling games or prize contests within the United States—that's all covered under this part of the law.
The prohibition mentioned in section 1, point 4 of this article—it doesn't just apply to the service providers, either; it hits publishers right where they live too.
So, here's the deal regarding anyone staying in the States temporarily without being an American citizen—you’re actually allowed to hold onto your winnings or play at foreign casinos, provided it's just for your own personal enjoyment. It's one of those little nuances of the law that keeps things straightforward for travelers.

Eric Fox7 said:It’s perfectly legal as long as you aren't placing bets from within America.🙂

I don't see what difference that makes when the federal law () hasn't been updated yet. And it states quite clearly—I think this point has been hammered home at least five times now:

Chapter IX. FOREIGN GAMING OPERATIONS
Section 68.
(1) It is prohibited:
1. For foreign operators to organize games of chance as defined in Section 5 or prize competitions under Section 69 of this Law within the territory of the United States,
2. To participate in foreign games of chance if the stakes are being paid within the United States,
3. To collect stakes within the United States for participation or payment in games of chance organized abroad,
4. To sell, hold, commercially assign, issue, advertise, or engage in any promotion or advertisement of foreign games of chance or prize competitions within the United States.
(2) The prohibition mentioned in paragraph 1, point 4 of this section also applies to service providers and publishers.
(3) Individuals who do not hold American citizenship but are temporarily residing in the United States are permitted to hold stakes or tickets from foreign games of chance for their own personal participation in the game.

Federal and international regulations generally supersede our local statutes.

Unless this specific provision gets amended—which it really ought to have by now, assuming my common sense isn't failing me, though I can't be entirely certain.

Gerald Jones56 said:What on earth does "A Completed Credit/Debit Card Authorisation Statement" actually mean?
.

It’s just their internal form for your initial card payment at Pinnacle. You download it, fill it out, scan it, and send it back... nothing special.

Christian Hernandez11 said:It’s just their internal form for when you make that first card deposit over at Pinnacle. You download it, fill it out, scan it, and send it off.

Thanks, finally tracked it down.

First, let me offer a little clarification regarding those infamous "manipulative costs" that everyone seems to be buzzing about lately.

According to Section 51, Subsection 3 of the Gambling Control Act:

"The operator is required to pay a monthly fee to the federal treasury amounting to 5% of the base, which consists of the total amount deposited, due by the fifteenth day of the current month for the preceding month."

So, in essence, we end up footing the bill for what the sportsbook should actually be paying! Does that make things a bit clearer for those who were still feeling confused?

Take a look at this:

- Let us begin our analysis with Section 69, Subsection 1, Point 1 of this legislation.
(Note that betting games fall under Section 5)
Foreign operators conduct their gambling activities (in this case, sports betting) within the territory where they are officially registered; therefore, they are not operating on American soil.

- Now, looking at Section 69, Subsection 1, Point 2:
The wagers are simply not being placed within the United States.

- Moving on to Section 69, Subsection 1, Point 3:
Wagers aren't being collected here in the States, as they are paid out abroad. This used to be a common tactic back in the day—you know, a group of five or six people would gather together, pick their numbers for an overseas lottery, and then send the payments across the border.

- And finally, Section 69, Subsection 1, Point 4:
The actual bettors have nothing to worry about regarding this specific rule (unless, of course, they are the ones running the advertisements). If my memory serves me correctly, following this logic, a network like "24 Hours" should be facing massive penalties for handing out vouchers for "Bet-at-Home." I distinctly remember seeing advertisements for Bwin around Central Park, and just a year ago during the handball championships, there were ads everywhere for that Bet-at-Home sportsbook!

But here is the most vital takeaway:

If the law does not explicitly forbid it (labeling it illegal), then it is perfectly permissible!

Arthur Howard said:First off, let’s touch on those infamous "manipulative costs" for a second.

Section 51, subsection 3 of the Gambling Control Act states:

"The operator is required to pay a monthly fee to the federal treasury amounting to 5% of the base, which consists of the total deposit amount, due by the fifteenth day of the current month for the preceding month."

So, basically, we end up footing the bill for what the sportsbook is supposed to be paying. Hopefully, that clears things up for anyone still scratching their heads.

I mean, obviously this isn't news—we’ve probably hashed this out at least ten times already. A colleague was even explaining it just the other day. 🤷

DraftKings said:Why do you charge for MC?

We know that international online sportsbooks don't charge an MC. Overseas operators aren't subject to American laws, so they aren't obligated to collect it. However, an online gaming license in the US works quite differently than it does in other countries.

In America, online operations are treated just like brick-and-mortar shops, where a website is essentially viewed as a physical branch. DraftKings, along with all other licensed sportsbooks in the US, remits 5% (known as MC) from every deposit to the federal treasury. This becomes official the moment the bet is placed—once the money is sent and the ticket is issued.

Therefore, the manipulative cost is simply a 5% tax that must be paid to the government following the placement of a bet, applicable equally to both physical locations and online platforms.

Tsigalko 11 said:Isn't MC just some "tax" that the sportsbooks are supposed to pay the government, but instead, they decided to pass the buck onto the users—the bettors?

Edit: Well, look at that—someone quoted DraftKings, so there's your answer.

Arthur Howard said:- Section 69, subsection 1, item 2
Wagers are not placed within the territory of the US.

If they aren't being placed here, yet you're sitting right here in America making the deposit... then you're placing them in the US. 🤷

Another thing—and this is exactly why it’s such a gray area—is that you can't even make direct deposits. Instead, you have to bounce through all these third-party services like
Venmo, Moneybookers, and whatever else is out there.

Lawrence Anderson4 said:Hi.

I have a problem, so I’m hoping I’ve come to the right place by opening this thread.
Here’s the deal...

I had an account with William Hill for about a year before they suddenly suspended me without any real explanation. I reached out via chat and email to ask why, and their only response was some vague nonsense about violating the Terms of Use.

I am still convinced I didn't do anything significant enough to warrant an account suspension.

So now, does anyone have an idea how I can set up a new account? Obviously, I can't use my own name anymore.

Also, if anyone is willing to create an account in their own name for me to use, I'm happy to pay a fee for that.

Any help or advice is appreciated. 🤷

Just open a new account under a family member or a friend's name. You just need to scan their ID to open and verify the sportsbook account. Do the same for PayPal—it’s faster and easier to set up than Venmo, and you can transfer funds between accounts for free.

Eric Fox7 said:Another point—and this is exactly why we’re stuck in this gray area—is that you aren't depositing directly into their accounts. Instead, you're using third-party processors like Venmo or similar services.

So, if I'm following this logic, depositing into an offshore sportsbook becomes illegal the moment you use a standard debit card, but suddenly everything stays murky and legally ambiguous if you funnel it through Venmo or some other middleman service?

That’s more or less how it works—though, to be fair, I haven't actually heard of anyone getting slapped with a penalty for betting through offshore sites. I'm just talking about what's written in the fine print of the law here, not necessarily how the authorities decide to enforce it.

Sure, obviously, but I’m curious about how they actually define that.

I went ahead and started a new thread for this.

silverridge3 said:I stopped betting on DraftKings after they introduced that 7% tax here in the States.
Is anyone still using them? How has the experience been lately?

Hey there, Taylor,
Even with the changes, DraftKings remains top-tier when it comes to liquidity and the various promos they roll out for active players. Lately, they've been running a lot of offers, like getting up to $50 back whether you win or lose. Personally, I’m constantly placing bets just to take advantage of those promotions—they're definitely worth it in my book.
You might also want to check out FanDuel; they offer a 3% commission for new players during their first year, making them a really solid competitor to DraftKings.

There's also Smarkets with a 2% commission, which is fantastic if you're looking at niche markets like hockey.
And don't forget Matchbook.

Gerald Jones56 said:Well, obviously, but I'm curious about how exactly that's defined.

I started a new thread to cover this properly.

Gerald Jones56, if you're living in the US, you're free to bet on whichever sportsbook you prefer. As for the tax situation, the funds hit your account, and since the IRS hasn't tightened its grip on everything yet, it's manageable!

Samuel Castillo57 said:Gerald Jones56, if you’re based here in the States, honestly—feel free to place your bets on whatever sportsbook you fancy.

Look, nobody was actually claiming otherwise. 🤷
Then there's that second pair of shoes—the ones that are still technically illegal under current laws.

Samuel Castillo57 said:As for that tax money—it’s sitting right there in the escrow account, just waiting around while Linić still hasn't even bothered to check it!

That doesn't mean it won't happen—unless, of course, they decide to go ahead and mess with the laws again.

By the way—let’s move the conversation regarding the legal side of things (the statutes, the regulatory framework, all that jazz) over to the Law thread that Gerald Jones56 started up.