As Arizona prepares to host the Super Bowl, Attorney General Kris Mayes urges all football fans to use only legal sports betting websites and apps if they choose to place bets on the big game.
“While many Arizonans participate in legal sports betting, it is important to remember there are scammers out there trying to intercept your money and your personal information,” said Attorney General Kris Mayes. “If you bet on the Super Bowl, or any sporting event, make sure you are gambling on sports and not on whether an illegal sportsbook will steal your winnings.”
Attorney General Mayes offers the following tips to those making online sports bets in Arizona:
- Make sure that any sportsbook is licensed to operate in the state of Arizona. The Arizona Department of Gaming website contains a list of approved operators and a catalog of approved events and wagers.
- Illegal sportsbooks may lack:
- Testing to ensure compliance with regulatory standards designed to guarantee fair play.
- Oversight to ensure consumers are paid their winnings.
- Security standards to protect personal and financial information.
- Compliance with anti-money laundering law.
- Many illegal sportsbook companies are located outside of the United States, leaving consumers with no recourse in the event of a dispute.
- Scammers may provide a gaming website or app that makes it appear like you have money in an account but instead rely on excuses like technical issues or payment processing delays to avoid allowing you to withdraw your money.
- If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
You can report suspicious sports betting activity on the Arizona Department of Gaming website or call them at (602) 255-3886. If you or someone you know is struggling with a gambling problem, the state has free resources available by calling 1-800-NEXT-STEP or visiting problemgambling.az.gov.
