IRS Issues Warning About Illegal Gambling as Football Season Approaches

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued a warning about the dangers of illegal gambling ahead of the upcoming football season. The IRS acknowledged that illegal gambling persists throughout the year and not only around the start of the new football season. The agency confirmed it is actively investigating and combating illegal gambling, and has recorded 54 criminal investigations in the last year.

IRS agents uncovered $126m in laundered funds in the last year. The IRS urges bettors to use licensed gambling companies. The IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Atlanta Field Office described illegal gambling as a concern throughout the year and not only a seasonal issue. The agency pointed to the dangers of using illegal betting companies, encouraging sports fans to stay safe and use only licensed operators.

IRS-CI's Chief, Jarod Koopman, acknowledged that illegal gambling is an issue that spans far beyond only placing unlawful wagers. IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman said that criminal organizations often use ill-gotten funds to fund other unlawful activities across the United States and other parts of the world.