David Rebuck, the head of New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement, recently testified before the state Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts committee.
He said that with eight approvals for online sports sites in the state, no further applications are pending. But, he said there has been interest expressed in the state by several offshore betting operations.
“We have a huge interest in operations from Europe, who have been very successful doing gambling over the years, coming to the United States right now,” Rebuck told the committee. “Some will not make it, I can assure you. And some will not even apply.”
Rebuck said the illegal gambling market is “massive” in the U.S.
“They are extremely robust,” he said. “They make our operations look like a five-and-dime store.”
Rebuck said the DGE is always looking for ways to combat illegal sites.
“We’ve been researching this with our law enforcement partners to get a better understanding of how they operate in the United States,” he said. “At this point in time, we’ve identified over 108 illegal websites that take sports wagers from every state in the United States today. They’re very good at what they do.”
The division has warned operators about “significant consequences” for conducting business with companies violating federal law.
“You will not get licensed in New Jersey,” Rebuck said. “And I will fight you to get licensed in any state.”
