New Sports Gambling Site Owner - HELP!!!

[sportbeef]

I have been playing with the creation of this site for about 6 months, thinking that by now I would have atleast a few recurring daily visitors. I have had SEO work done to it, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram connected, with a decent number of followers on each platform. Paid promotion on facebook, fivverr, and have just been looking for the right connections to "broadcast" my site to the right gambling sports fan audience.

I am a student studying business so much of my time and money is dedicated to school. This is why I have been debating whether I should just sell the site or continue try other options. I have already spent way more than projected in the beginning. I feel that this website has a lot of potential, especially since this is one of the most simple site's, with the option of players actively offering their own bets as opposed to the site actively offering and adjusting odds. Right now I face the issue of whether to post this site on Flippa, or to continue. The mobile version recently went live with all functions working. How much do you think a site like this would make on Flippa? I would rather keep the site if I am guaranteed to see results after a next few moves, because right now I feel like the site has potential. It is just taking long. What do you suggest I do? Please contact justinsutherland11 at hotmail . com

[chaumi]

What's the site? You may need to spell it out cos you can't post links till you have appropriate number of posts. The mods will turn it into a link if they think it's appropriate to do so. In the meantime anyone can search for it.

[edgarf76]

Post up your site so members can take a look at it. You may get better insight.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[universal4]

the option of players actively offering their own bets as opposed to the site actively offering and adjusting odds.

With that kind of statement it sounds like you may be operating as an operator.

Do you actively accepts bets at your website?

What country does your site target?

If your site does accept bets, is it licensed?

You can pm (private message) me the link and I would be happy to post it for you.

Rick
Universal4

[thebookiesoffers]

im pissed so not sure but is this the inderect link via twitter? https://twitter.com/SportBeefBets

[justbookies]

If that is the site at sportbeef.com then there are a host of questions I would like to ask.
You are running a rudimentary betting exchange. I could not tell what you were doing until I read the rules and terms via the little link in the footer. How would anyone know what was going on? If they dont know what is happening at the site then they wont and cant join.
However before all that, maybe I am wrong, but it appears you have set up a betting exchange without a licence? Correct me if I am wrong? If you are accepting US clients then you are flirting with a major prison sentence so it is great that you have not got any clients.
Also, I see you have paypal (there is no way they know what you are doing or they would not let you have the facility) and other credit card options. I guess however you are doing the latter, they also don't know what the funds would be used for or you would not have it.
Back to the USA thing, you are aware that banks cant transact for online gambling with US residents? That is US law. So once again, for the sake of your liberty I trust the USA is not welcome at your site. I couldn't see any reference to that.
It looks like a commendable but half-cocked attempt at being an actual operator in this field (one which betfair kind of dominates).
Before you do anything else just take a look at the regulatory scenario because, I may be wrong, but I get the impression you have just gone ahead and done it all without a thought to the legality.

UPDATE: OK I see this: "If you access the Web Site from inside of the United States, or any country where online betting is illegal, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with the laws of your jurisdiction"

So you let USA residents use the site at their own risk. You would let them deposit to match bets? My advice would be to take the site offline and work out the risks properly.

Here is some random reading matter on the subject:
http://usa-onlinecasinos.co/blog/man-jailed-running-online-sportsbook/
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2..._business.html
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/...77363073970398

[sportbeef]

Okay I understand where you are coming from with the whole US laws thing, and that's why I placed the "If you access the Web Site from inside of the United States, or any country where online betting is illegal, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with the laws of your jurisdiction"


Is there a way I can block US ip addresses and eliminate the problem altogether? How would you suggest I give visitors a better understanding of the site to get plugged in immediately, instead of scrolling confused. (If that's the case) This is the only way I can really eliminate risk.

I would appreciate it if you would give me a step by step guide on how I can tweak this site to have success with it. Yes, I am new to this gambling niche, but thought it up as a good idea for revenue on the side. PLEASE HELP!!

[sportbeef]

Yes, however I've only received about 2 bets so far. Due to low traffic. I'm not sure what country my site targets, but SEO freelancers are working on that. Yes, my site is sport beef. Please HELP!

[justbookies]

Put something in the footer than you do not accept usa customers. That will keep you out of jail - you need to realise an operator is a whole world away from an affiliate. You have set yourself up as an operator. The americans simply do not care that you have no clients and they wont care about that crappy sentence in your terms that you think passes the buck elsewhere. It just takes one person to bury you - read the first link of the three I posted. That guy had almost no clients and look what happened.

If you want to explain your site fully maybe have a "how it works" link at the top of the page. However you are not ready to be an operator for all the regulatory reasons outlined before. The key thing is that you don't get yourself in trouble. Operators can have the book thrown at them if they are not compliant with US law. It just is not worth it.

Also, there is no way on earth your site is good enough to enter the operator space. Take a look at betfair betting exchange. When you have a hundredth of their functionality you may be ready. You are not even close to that. Where the hell are you licensed? Nowhere! Even getting a licence in the likes of Antigua is a major achievement and expense. I don't think you realise what you have taken on by being on the operator side of the fence rather than the affiliate side. The internet is no longer the wild west - it is regulated to buggery. It is not a virtual world where everything is a bit of fun. There are real world consequences.

Your site has a mish mash of things. Just dump the betting exchange idea totally from it and do that now. You can keep the idea alive in your head and maybe do it properly and in a legitimate way one day. At the moment you are playing with fire. Naivety is unfortunately no defence in law.

[DaftDog]

I see sportbeef lives in Canada. I'm sure there must be Canadian laws that prevent him from running an unlicensed betting forum.

I would heed justbookies advise and put my time and energy into something else before the strong arm of the law comes knocking.

[sportbeef]

Would I get in legal trouble for selling as long as I inform the new owner of the legal complications?

[universal4]

You might get a few dollars for the domain name, but that is about it.

There is honestly nothing else about the site that is worth anythng more.

Rick
Universal4

[feelthenoize]

I visited your site and I really don't understand it. I then read the rules and it makes a little more sense. However, I don't think many people would go through that trouble. I'm not trying to be rude. I am new and I just wanted to let you know a noobie's perspective. Good luck with your site.