Finding your way among the many online bookmakers is not easy, and the risk of ending up on illegal portals is high . On this page we will give you a hand, introducing you to all non-AAMS betting sites (today ADM), that is, not in possession of the license to operate in Italy, understanding how to recognize and avoid them.
The overview of non-legal bookmakers will provide you with the list of non-AAMS betting sites , mentioning the risks associated with their use, with some examples. We will also talk about AAMS, today ADM, the body responsible for the regularity of bets, and much more: a real journey into the dark side of betting!
What are non-AAMS bookmakers (today ADM)
What are we talking about when we talk about non-AAMS betting sites? Of bookmakers who are not entitled to operate legally in our country , because they lack the necessary license granted by AAMS game (whose name is now ADM, Customs and Monopoly Agency) to operators who meet the requirements.
These are therefore illegal betting sites , the “attendance” of which exposes us first of all to risks for our capital but also to legal consequences. We will talk about all this in the next paragraphs, but starting with the signs that allow us to recognize if we are dealing with a dangerous bookie.
How to recognize illegal betting sites
Recognize a non-AAMS bookmaker? Simple! If a betting site has a domain other than “.it”, a first alarm bell will sound. Even more, if on the home page (usually at the bottom of the page) we do not find the five-digit number that designates the possession of the ADM concession . Below are the four signs that should warn you.
A domain other than “.it”
The internet domain of bookmakers operating legally in Italy must end in “.it”. This identifies, even for “foreign” bookies such as William Hill , their Italian legal platform. If not, it does not automatically mean that we are on a scam site, but that we are placing bets on unauthorized AAMS sites .
There is no AAMS logo and license number
A very evident sign of the fact that we are in the presence of non-AAMS betting sites: in no corner of the home page do we identify the logo of the Customs and Monopoly Agency and above all the five-digit number of the gaming license . Usually, you will find them instead at the top right or at the bottom of the page.
Bizarre fights and forbidden races
Illegal betting sites in Italy are also recognizable for an ethically relevant reason: by examining the schedule of a bookie, turn away if you find strange “disciplines” (cockfights or krav maga , dog racing: prohibited activities and on which in Italy is forbidden to bet) on the blackboard.
The odds in thousandths and the bet and win thresholds
Normally, bookmakers offer odds in decimal format. Non-AAMS sports betting sites, on the other hand, have odds expressed in thousandths (1,831 and similar); in addition, they accept minimum bets under € 2 without limits on winnings (which on legal sites are € 10,000 for singles and multiples and € 50,000 for systems).
The list of the 10 best known Siti non AAMS (now ADM) betting sites
Usually, on our pages you will find the rankings of the best bookmakers, absolutely or related to some specific field (for example those for betting on Serie A ). Here, however, you will find the list of Siti non AAMS betting sites with the 10 most known operators (attention, in reality there are many more).
- 1XBet
- BetRebels
- Pinnacle
- LSBet
- CBet
- 18bet
- Bet2U
- Betwinner
- Malinasports
- Campobet
The list of non-AAMS betting sites serves as a warning: it includes very “exposed” operators such as 1XBet, betting partner of Barcelona, or well-known operators such as BetRebels. However, none of them have an ADM license, so focusing on their sites makes you more exposed to fraud and less protected.
The safe alternative: the best legal AAMS (now ADM) bookmakers
How to avoid taking risks with illegal bookmakers? You are on the safe side, and only choose the best AAMS betting sites , equipped with a regular license, .it domain and therefore with all the requirements and control necessary to guarantee a safe, legal and protected gaming experience.
One thing is certain: by betting with the bookmakers in the table above, the only risk you will run is… being unlucky! We reiterate it: all the operators we talk about on our portal are in fact supplied with an AAMS / ADM license , perfectly legal and safe from the risk of fraud or money laundering.
Risks and motivations of those who bet on non-AAMS betting sites (ADM)
In the next paragraphs of our guide we will disguise ourselves first as law enforcement officers and then as psychologists. In fact, we will examine the possible motivations of those who choose the bookmakers on the illegal betting sites list , but first of all talking about the dangers to which they face if they do so.
The main dangers
What dangers are there when betting with non-AAMS bookmakers? We see them below. We do not want to engage in psychological terrorism, but it is right to warn you: we face both possible legal sanctions linked to tax crimes and, perhaps even more frightening, the risk of losing money.
- 1. High fines, and you risk jailBetting on the best non-AAMS betting sites can be intriguing in terms of earnings prospects, but they are totally illegal platforms. Therefore, law 401/89 is broken and you risk hefty fines (from € 51 to € 516) and even three months of arrest, especially if the bookies do not have a license from EU member states.
- 2. We do not evade taxes!Non-AAMS betting sites do not pay taxes in our country, and this is already not nice. However, using them, too , we incur the crime of tax evasion , unless we declare the transactions made with these books in the “Other income” section of the tax return (attention: bets included, not only the delta between bets and winnings) .
- 3. The bill? Closed overnight!Illegal betting sites can play a bad joke on you: in case of large winnings (and the definition of “high” is of course at their very personal discretion), they can decide overnight to close your gaming account, without giving you the minimum notice and preventing you from making withdrawals, so as to “steal”, in fact, what you are entitled to.
- 4. Less protection for the risk of pathological gamblingPathological gambling is a constant danger to which one is subjected even using only ADM licensed bookmakers, of course. However, if you bet on illegal betting sites in Italy, this risk increases, because these bookies do not offer the usual standards of protection required by law : no monthly deposit limits, therefore, no temporary or definitive self-exclusion, no anti-deludopathy assistance.
- 5. A “digital life” in constant flightNon-AAMS sports betting sites are, due to their out-of-law status, forcibly “fleeing” from the controls of the competent authorities. The change of internet domain is normal for them. This fact should already make you suspect but, if this were not enough, also consider that this practice could lead them to become unavailable right in the middle of an episode .
Is it really worth risking a hefty fine (if not jail time), or losing everything in our gaming account, just for the thrill of playing on illegal .com betting sites? Putting everything on the scales, the prospects for enticing winnings may not be enough , aren’t they?
The biggest pros
But if betting on non-AAMS sports betting sites is so risky, why do so many fans choose them anyway? There are psychological reasons related to thrill pleasure, of course, but also more solid concrete motivations, which we will examine in the next graphic element and which essentially consist of the prospect of high winnings .
- 1. Very low minimum betsWe have seen how on ADM licensed sites the minimum stake, regardless of the type of bet, is € 2. On illegal betting sites this minimum threshold disappears. Most of them allow you to bet just the minimum, € 0.01 per ticket . This is especially advantageous if we only play from time to time, just to have fun with friends.
- 2. A much broader scheduleTraditional betting sites have a blackboard with 25-30 sports disciplines. They are more than enough, in our opinion. The best non-AAMS bookmakers either exaggerate and offer ten more, or vastly expand the number of tournaments available (including for example amateur football leagues). But be careful: the lower the leagues, the lower the control and the higher the match fixing risk!
- 3. Exaggerated odds and in different formatsAnother substantial difference compared to legal books is represented by the odds. First of all, on non-AAMS bookmakers you will often find not only the odds expressed in thousandths, but also fractional ones (typically English) and American ones. Secondly, then, you will have to deal with payouts on average significantly higher than normal: a red herring that is objectively not easy to resist.
- 4. No limit on winningsThe ADM legislation provides that, in the case of single or multiple bets, you can win up to € 10,000, while with the systems you can go up to € 50,000. Not enough for you? So, knowing that with non-AAMS bookmakers there are no maximum payout thresholds for any bet might entice you. Beware, however, of the risk of sudden closure of the account.
- 5. The winnings? They are paid immediately!A factor that is often decisive in the choice of illegal betting sites is that linked to the immediacy of the payment of winnings , compared to bookmakers with ADM / AAMS license. If the sign is already guessed, for example for the Under / Over or Even / Odd markets, the stake is paid immediately at the end of the game you bet on. Undoubtedly it is a nice convenience.
In essence, the best non-AAMS bookmakers guarantee speed, high payout thresholds and the absence of laces , annoying for the most passionate bettors but on the other hand required by law and undoubtedly very sensible. Here too, the final choice is yours: always calculate if the game is worth the candle.
Who is AAMS (today ADM) and how it operates
Let’s now try to learn more about AAMS (acronym for Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies), the gaming and betting regulator in our country. It should be known that this body, today, has changed its name, having been incorporated into the Customs and Monopoly Agency (ADM) , whose director is, since 2018, Benedetto Mineo.
AAMS / ADM regulates the gaming / betting sector, granting licenses to operate in the Peninsula (verifying the fulfillment of legal obligations) and fighting illegal betting sites , together with the Ministry of Finance and the police, through the monitoring of sporting events, the immediate revocation of concessions and the closure of suspicious portals.
Who issues licenses to non-AAMS operators?
Non-AAMS betting sites are not entirely licensed. What is missing, and it is a fundamental vulnerability, is the ADM concession. However, they have others, belonging to regulatory bodies of countries with facilitated tax regimes or with less stringent requirements for disbursement. We see them in the next paragraphs.
- The MGA – Malta Gaming AuthorityMany non-AAMS foreign betting sites have a license issued by the MGA (Malta Gaming Authority). Established in 2001, it manages a sector that generates almost a fifth of the entire gross domestic product of the country, but has rather lax requirements for the granting of licenses. This often generates conflicts with other European authorities .
Security: organizations and associations to protect the player
In addition to the Customs and Monopoly Agency, there are other associations to protect bettors. Non-profit organizations, of which legal bookmakers are often members, with their work also make it possible to recognize the presence of any reliable non-AAMS betting sites , while always advising against frequenting them. We see them in the next paragraphs.
IBIA
IBIA, acronym for International Betting Integrity Association, is a non-profit organization that monitors irregular betting patterns and possible cases of manipulation of sporting events. Called ESSA until a few months ago, it includes, among others, the same legal bookmakers and opposes non-AAMS betting sites.
IBAS
IBAS (Independent Betting Adjudication Service) is a body that offers free arbitration services to users with pending disputes with bookmakers. Each operator registered with it undertakes to respect the decisions taken by the body, which in the past has been involved above all with non-AAMS English betting sites.
EGBA
The European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA) is an association formed by the main bookmakers of the European Union based in Brussels. Working closely with national and EU authorities, it is committed to ensuring bettors have a gaming experience that is safe from fraud and criminality for ten years now.
eCOGRA
Founded in 2003 in Great Britain, eCOGRA (eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) is a control agency that protects the bettor and tests the organizational standards of the various bookmakers, certifying their safety and acting as a tool for protecting the rights and responsibilities of users .
Scams and unpleasant experiences
Before concluding our review, we want to tell some unpleasant experiences that have occurred to fans who have placed bets on unauthorized AAMS sites. Nothing like a concrete example, sometimes, can discourage bettors from using illegal bookies, and we are here to reiterate it: always choose ADM licensed bookmakers!
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