Monday, November 13, 2006

U.K. online gambling site BetOnSports on Thursday settled civil charges
filed by U.S. prosecutors, agreeing to permanently ban any wagers placed
from the U.S., the Associated Press reported. The settlement does not apply
to separate criminal charges the U.S. brought against BetOnSports CEO David
Carruthers, who was arrested while traveling through the U.S. in July, and
other BetOnSports employees. Carruthers, who is currently under house arrest
in Missouri, will face fraud and racketeering charges in a trial slated to
begin in early 2007. As part of the civil settlement, BetOnSports will set
up a toll-free number to inform U.S. bettors how they can reclaim unsettled
bets. The company must also take out a newspaper ad telling consumers that
it will no longer accept U.S. bets, and post similar statements on its
websites.