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Tennessee Issues Fines to 5 Offshore Sportsbooks

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Publish Date: Jul 16, 2025

Fact checked by: Sara Jane Gamelli

The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council, the legal sports betting governing body in Tennessee, has issued fines to five illegal offshore sportsbooks.

The fines are a combined $250,000, or $50,000 each.

tennessee state capitol building

The Sportsbooks Fined

The sportsbooks that were each hit with $50,000 fines are BetAnySports, Bookmaker, JazzSports, BetOnline, and Everygame.

BetAnySports, Bookmaker, and Jazzsports are based out of Costa Rica; BetOnline is based out of Panama; and Everygame hails from Curacao.

These outlets are in violation of Tennessee's Sports Gaming Act as they're unlawfully accepting wagers without a license to operate in the state.

To date, the Sports Wagering Council has issued about $600,000 in fines to illegal offshore sportsbooks. Getting rid of these platforms has become a focal point for the Sports Wagering Council.

SWC Executive Speaks Out

“The SWC is exploring all avenues with its network of law enforcement to eliminate these bad actors from Tennessee,” Executive Director Mary Beth Thomas said. “Consumers in Tennessee need to be aware that illegal operators will gladly take their money and personal information, and if a consumer does business with an illegal book, they give away their information to criminals.”

In addition to the sites themselves, any businesses working with these offshore sportsbooks could also face civil or criminal penalties in the state of Tennessee.

Bovada, based out of Curacao like Everygame, ceased operations in Tennessee in October 2024 after it was hit with a $50,000 fine.

Additionally, social sportsbook Legendz halted operations this past April after receiving a cease-and-desist letter.

Licensed sportsbooks in Tennessee follow strict guidelines, including prohibiting players under 21 from playing.

The Sports Wagering Council listed characteristics you could look for to spot illegal sportsbooks, including the following: "extending credit; wagering with cryptocurrency; offering casino games, such as slots or online poker; and offering chance-based wagers, such as the coin toss or the color of the Gatorade."

States Cracking Down Hard on Unlicensed Platforms

In addition to Tennessee going after offshore sportsbooks and Legendz, a social sportsbook, states around the United States are coming down hard on offshore outlets and sweepstakes casinos.

New York sent out 26 cease-and-desist letters to sweepstakes casinos, Louisiana sent out an additional 42, and states like Connecticut, Montana, and New Jersey have passed legislation banning sweepstakes casinos.

The latest state to take action is California, as it has legislation moving through the key channels to ban sweepstakes casinos.

We'll see how these illegal offshore sportsbooks respond to Tennessee. Do they comply like Bovada or ignore the fines and continue operating? For the latest updates, head to our Ballislife Play section.

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