Fifty-One Months In Prison For BetOnSports.com Founder Kaplan
Had this been the first time that Gary Kaplan had been in trouble with the law in the US regarding gambling, he may have received a lighter sentence from US District Judge Carol Jackson. His continued "disrespect for the law," however, has landed the founder of BetOnSports.com in prison for fifty-one months.
Kaplan has been serving time since he was arrested by the US government. His attorneys argued that Kaplan should receive leniency, but the judge was buying none of that. Kaplan has two priors on his record, one for bookmaking.
BetOnSports.com became one of the biggest online gambling outlets in the world and it did so at a time when the Internet gambling boom was just beginning. It also was profitable largely because of its willingness to accept US customers.
In August, Kaplan pleaded guilty to violating the Wire Wager Act, conspiracy, and racketeering. Prosecutors started following BetOnSports.com back in 2001, and in 2006 an indictment came down for Kaplan. In addition to Kaplan, two others have also pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later today.
BetOnSports.com advertised in the US that online gambling was legal, which is what first turned the heads of the government. Kaplan has admitted to having over one million customers for his online gambling business. He will have to forfeit $46.3 million to the government.
Lawmakers in the US are considering changing the current online gambling laws. Representative Barney Frank has proposed legislation that would overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. The legislation would also lay the groundwork for a legalized Internet gambling industry in the US.
