Bookmaker.eu is an online sportsbook and gambling operator. It is based (or claims to operate) out of Costa Rica. The site accepts bettors from the U.S. (except some excluded states) and offers various deposit/withdrawal methods, including cryptocurrency. It also states in its terms that it does not provide legal advice and that users must obey their local gambling laws.
Because it’s not licensed in the U.S., Bookmaker is typically considered an “offshore sportsbook” when viewed from an American regulatory perspective.
Bookmaker FAQ
Where is BookMaker, EU located?
BookMaker.eu operates out of San José, Costa Rica (Sabana Sur district). Costa Rica allows offshore betting businesses to base operations there, but whether you can legally wager online depends on your local laws. Always check the rules in your state or country before placing bets.
Is BookMaker.eu licensed or regulated in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica does not issue gambling licenses the way the UK, Malta, or U.S. states do. Sportsbooks operating there typically register as data processing companies and follow general commercial laws, not a gaming regulator’s rules. So BookMaker.eu isn’t “licensed” in the traditional sense, even though it can legally base operations in Costa Rica.
Is BookMaker.eu legit?
Yes. BookMaker.eu is a long-standing offshore sportsbook known for sharp lines, high limits, and dependable crypto payouts. For U.S. bettors who lack access to state-licensed sportsbooks, it’s widely viewed as a trusted, accessible option with the usual caveat that it operates offshore and isn’t regulated by U.S./EU authorities.
Bookmaker.eu Legal States
BookMaker.eu is one of the rare sportsbooks that still accepts players from almost every U.S. state the main exceptions being New Jersey, Tennessee, and Ohio. That makes it a go-to option for bettors across the country, as well as those abroad, who want action on both domestic and international sports.
That said, it’s worth keeping in mind that just because BookMaker allows sign-ups nationwide, it doesn’t override individual state laws. A handful of states do have stricter rules against online sports betting. Still, in practice, most of the legal focus tends to be on operators running unlicensed sportsbooks rather than individuals placing bets. This is why plenty of casual bettors in restricted states still choose to use BookMaker on a regular basis.
Restricted Bookmaker.eu Countries
BookMaker.eu has a wide international reach, but it isn’t available everywhere. At this time, the site does not accept players located in certain countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, France, and Russia, along with several others across Europe, Asia, and Africa. The full list includes Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, French Guyana, Georgia, Guadeloupe, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mayotte, Nigeria, Réunion, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela. Anyone trying to sign up from these regions will be restricted, so it’s important to double-check your eligibility before creating an account.
Is Bookmaker.eu “Legal” for You to Use?
Given the complexity, here’s a more practical breakdown:
| Question | Answer / Nuance |
|---|---|
| Am I likely to be prosecuted for betting via Bookmaker.eu? | Very unlikely. U.S. enforcement tends to target operators, not individual bettors in offshore gambling. |
| Is Bookmaker “legal” under state law? | Not in most states it’s not usually licensed locally, so in states with regulated betting, it operates outside the regulated system. |
| Can financial transactions be blocked? | Possibly. Banks and credit card companies may refuse to process payments that appear linked to offshore gambling. |
| Is their claim to “accept all U.S. states (except NJ)” reliable legally? | That is more of a marketing claim than a legal guarantee. Whether a state (or a state’s regulators) would treat such activity as illegal depends on that state’s laws. |
| Does having a foreign license (Costa Rica) make it legal in the U.S.? | It gives Bookmaker a license under Costa Rican law, but U.S. states and federal law determine legality for U.S. users. So foreign licensing does not automatically make it lawful in every U.S. jurisdiction. |
In short: using Bookmaker.eu carries legal risks and ambiguity. The operator itself is in a gray zone it is not fully “legal” in most of the U.S. context, but it operates in a space that federal law doesn’t clearly criminalize for bettors.
U.S. Federal & State Laws on Online Sports Betting
To understand whether Bookmaker.eu is “legal in the U.S.,” you need to consider both federal law and state law. These laws create a patchwork landscape.
Federal law
- Wire Act (1961): This statute originally made it illegal to transmit bets or gambling information across state lines by wire (which has sometimes been interpreted to include the internet). Over time its application has been narrowed, but it is often cited in relation to online gambling.
- Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA, 2006): This law doesn’t explicitly make placing bets illegal but restricts financial institutions from processing transactions tied to “unlawful Internet gambling.” So, U.S. banks and credit card companies may be blocked from dealing with many offshore gambling operators.
- Importantly: neither of these laws clearly criminalizes the act of an individual placing a bet through an offshore sportsbook from the U.S. In many analyses, the federal laws aim more at operators and payment processors than bettors themselves.
Because of this, many observers argue there is no absolute federal prohibition against a U.S. person using an offshore sportsbook (though it’s in a legal gray zone).
State law
- After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act) in 2018, states gained authority to legalize and regulate sports betting. Many states now have legal, regulated sportsbooks.
- Each state has its own rules about what forms of sports betting are allowed, who can operate, how wagers must be handled, and so on.
- In states where regulated sportsbooks exist, those websites generally must be licensed and abide by state rules an offshore operator like Bookmaker.eu typically would not be licensed to operate in that state.
So, even if Bookmaker “accepts” bettors from many U.S. states (which it claims to do, excluding New Jersey among others) that doesn’t mean it’s operating legally under that state’s law.
Indeed, Bookmaker’s own terms state that it is unavailable to residents of New Jersey.
Bottom Line
- Is Bookmaker.eu legal in the U.S.? Yes however it operates outside the regulated U.S. framework, and in many states may be considered an unlicensed or informal operator.
- Can you use it without fear of prosecution? For most users, risk of direct criminal prosecution is low, but that doesn’t eliminate all risk (especially financial or regulatory).
- Is it “safe”? It has a long positive reputation and reviews, but its offshore status means you lack many legal protections you’d have with a regulated U.S. sportsbook.
Written By:
