Canadian Gambling Operators Indicted by US Authorities

Calvin Ayre, the founder of the Bodog gambling brand, as well as three other Canadian men, were indicted by the a federal grand jury for running what the authorities call “illegal sports gambling” and “conspiracy to commit money laundering.”

Rod. J Rosenstein, the US attorney for the  District Maryland said in a statement this week: “Sports betting is illegal in Maryland, and federal law prohibits bookmakers from flouting that law simply because they are located outside the country of the harms that underlie gambling prohibitions are exacerbated when the enterprises operate over the Internet with-out regulation.”

The indictments indicate that at least two US payment processors were used to pay out millions of dollars to local players in winnings, with money sent by wire or check from outside the country.

Ayre and the other men, however, are not in the United States and according to the US authorities, it is presumed that he is based in Canada.

 This week, it was reported that the authorities also seized the Bodog.com domain which is no longer in operation.  Other versions of the domain, in other countries outside the United States, including Canada, continue to operate unhindered.

 Calvin Ayre, reacting to news that the federal government has indicted him and his colleagues, slammed the US authorities, saying that the online gambling industry is legal under international law.   He also stressed that the indictments would not stop his business interests around the world, which serve players on multiple platforms.