Better Business Bureau study exposes shady gambling sites

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Online gambling scams. Billions are being wagered online, but not all of it legally.

The I-Team is showing you a new Better Business Bureau study that's exposing shady gambling sites.

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Gambling scam websites are taking advantage of consumers across Chicago and the nation.

The numbers are staggering: the legal online gambling industry in the U.S. is worth more than $100 billion, but illegal sites, which could be stealing your money, are raking in much more, nearly $400 billion.

According to a new study released by the Better Business Bureau, the BBB saw more than 10,000 complaints from 2022 to mid 2025.

Jason Knowles: "It looks legitimate, like you are betting on a great platform you may be winning, they string you along you try to cash out, you can't."

BBB President and CEO Steve Bernas: "You're right they string you along you try to cash out or there is some problem with the game, it malfunctions and all the sudden you lost...Most of these are outright scams they don't follow US laws at all because they are offshore, and they are stealing peoples' money. When people complain, they say there is snafu with the site. They end up losing their money and they don't realize they are dealing with illegal outfits and organizations. They don't do their due diligence on checking on them."

If you want to gamble on legitimate apps and websites, stay away from pop up ads and social media direct messages. Watch out for red flags like cryptocurrency-only payments.

Also check your state's gaming agency for licensed websites and research companies before placing a bet.