If you live in the US, you should stick to sports betting sites that are approved to operate in your state. Obtaining approval from your state is not an easy feat, but the companies that have been approved have invested heavily in ensuring that their customers are safe and secure. There is also an active black market of offshore sites. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 was designed to restrict offshore operators from operating in the US. Because of this, many are operating in a legal gray area.

There are several disadvantages to illegal bookies. These companies do not require a bettor’s money up front, and they often only require a portion of what the bettor bets. Ultimately, this creates a debt between the sports betting company and the bettor, and sometimes results in criminal elements being involved. Some of the worst cases of illegal sports betting scandals have involved illegal bookies. There have been numerous cases of point shaving, spot fixing, and other issues related to sport gambling. In some cases, officials, players, or the overall result of a sporting event are manipulated.

The NBA, NHL, and MLB have also proposed legislation that would require legal sportsbooks to pay them for data and statistics. Although these bills have been blocked by the states that have legalized sports betting, the leagues say that this will protect the integrity of their games and the integrity of sports betting. Only Tennessee and Illinois have passed laws that require sportsbooks to collect official league data. The NFL and NHL have also suggested this legislation. However, it remains unclear whether the legislation will pass in either state.