As the gambling industry continues to search for untapped corners of the market, Little League Baseball has condemned sports betting related to its events, including the Little League World Series (LLWS).
Key Takeaways
- The LLWS began earlier this week and will conclude in late August.
- Participants are 10-12 years old.
- Offshore sportsbooks have defended offering LLWS betting odds in the past.
The LLWS began Wednesday and will run through Aug. 24. With the action underway, the organization in charge addressed the spread of markets involving its games.
"While Little League International continues to monitor the complexity and ever-evolving world of sports betting, we feel strongly that there is no place for betting on Little League games or on any youth sports competition," the organization said in a statement. "Little League is a trusted place where children are learning the fundamentals of the games and all the important life lessons that come with having fun, celebrating teamwork, and playing with integrity, and no one should be exploiting the success and failure of children playing the game they love for their own personal game."
U.S.-based sportsbooks, such as FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics, and others, are not allowed to accept wagers on Little League events due to the average age of the participants (10-12 years old).
Offshore sportsbooks, however, often provide odds for these games. A brand manager of offshore company BetOnline told Justin Heinze of Patch that it expects to receive more Little League bets than “any professional tennis or soccer match over the next two weeks.”
The problem with offshore providers
Little League’s statement did not appear to be related to a particular event involving its organization or the LLWS.
Offshore sportsbooks are located in countries other than the U.S. and are not licensed to operate within national borders. Little League also banned gambling advertisers and related imagery during promotions associated with the LLWS.
However, offshore sportsbooks’ lack of licensing means they may not feel the need to comply with regulations, such as restricting odds for the LLWS.
BetOnline previously defended its betting markets by saying the Olympics involve individuals under age 18 but are approved markets in the U.S.
Banned betting markets
State regulators are in charge of approving events and markets for their state catalogs. However, there has been unanimous agreement that the LLWS and other youth sports events are not fit for sportsbooks.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently tried to convince state officials to also prohibit proposition bets following a pair of scandals involving pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians, who allegedly threw missed strikes to help bettors cash their bets.
Ohio House Finance Committee chair Brian Stewart already declared he would oppose any restrictions on prop betting.
