1996–2000
The Early Days
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1996
The Early Days
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World Sports Exchange launched in December. The early days were marked with uncertainty, but the company soon found its footing. Success came quickly, but so did the attention of the U.S. government.
1997
Hitting it Big
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The business took off and the site became hugely popular offering innovative options like in-game betting and futures wagerings. Although business was booming, the company was fending off restrictive legislation proposed by Senator John Kyl.
1998
The Big One
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The business took off and the site became hugely popular offering innovative options like in-game betting and futures wagerings. Although business was booming, the company was fending off restrictive legislation proposed by Senator John Kyl.
2000
The Best of Times
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The company continued to grow and World Sports Exchange was one of the top sports betting sites in the world. The company had its best years, but dark clouds were gathering.
2001
Survival Mode / The Worst of Times
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The company began to lose its footing as strict banking laws finally went into effect and the company was forced to work with unsavory payment processors and the company looked for ways to stay afloat.
2002
The Aftermath
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WSEX.com shut down in 2013 and one of its founders committed suicide. The closing of the site marked the end of an era as illegal sports gambling continued to boom in the face of growing banking regulations.
2003
A New Era
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The U.S. Supreme Court's 2018 case led the way for states to offer legal sports betting leading to an explosion of new entrants into the market. Offshore sports betting sites, however, were still considered illegal.
2004
A New Era
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The U.S. Supreme Court's 2018 case led the way for states to offer legal sports betting leading to an explosion of new entrants into the market. Offshore sports betting sites, however, were still considered illegal.
2005
A New Era
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The U.S. Supreme Court's 2018 case led the way for states to offer legal sports betting leading to an explosion of new entrants into the market. Offshore sports betting sites, however, were still considered illegal.
2006
A New Era
opens in a new window
The U.S. Supreme Court's 2018 case led the way for states to offer legal sports betting leading to an explosion of new entrants into the market. Offshore sports betting sites, however, were still considered illegal.
2007
A New Era
opens in a new window
The U.S. Supreme Court's 2018 case led the way for states to offer legal sports betting leading to an explosion of new entrants into the market. Offshore sports betting sites, however, were still considered illegal.
2009
A New Era
opens in a new window
The U.S. Supreme Court's 2018 case led the way for states to offer legal sports betting leading to an explosion of new entrants into the market. Offshore sports betting sites, however, were still considered illegal.