Redirected to the Philippines: Maryland drivers turned into unwitting gambling promoters

Approximately 800,000 drivers in Maryland unknowingly find themselves unintentionally promoting an online casino based in the Philippines through their licence plates, which were originally designed to commemorate the War of 1812. A link printed on the plate has users redirected to a website promoting Filipino online gambling.

Redirected from history to gambling

Back in 2012, Maryland introduced a redesigned licence plate to honour the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. These plates, serving as the default option between 2012 and 2016, featured the inscription “MARYLAND WAR OF 1812” with the URL www.starspangled200.org printed at the bottom.

However, at some point in the past year, instead of providing information about Francis Scott Key, a Marylander who was inspired to write “The Star-Spangled Banner” after witnessing the British attack on Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, the website www.starspangled200.org began redirecting visitors to a site called globeinternational.info. On this site, a bikini-clad woman can be seen blinking on the screen, promoting the message “Philippines Best Betting Site, Deposit 100 Receive 250.”

The discovery of this issue was made by a Reddit user who expressed their discontent, stating, “I was never a fan of having a plate celebrating the War of 1812, but I’m even more upset now that I (along with many other Marylanders) am unwittingly driving around as an advertisement for international online gambling.”

According to domain registration records, the website starspangled200.org has undergone multiple transfers and registrations over the past few years. The exact point at which it has been redirected from an American history website remains unclear. Historical data from the Internet Archive indicates that as recently as December 2022, the website provided information about the War of 1812, stating that “the Chesapeake Bay region felt the brunt of it” while explaining the conflict’s impact on the young United States.

However, a snapshot of the site today reveals a different focus, highlighting the “extremely lenient laws” governing gambling in the Philippines. It attributes this leniency to the popularity of gambling among tourists and the construction of large casino resorts.

A spokesperson from the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Administration confirmed that there are currently 798,000 active licence plates commemorating the War of 1812. They clarified that the website printed on these plates is not owned by the Motor Vehicle Administration but was created by the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission in 2007.

The nonprofit entity Star-Spangled 200, Inc. is affiliated with the Commission and spearheaded fundraising efforts for bicentennial projects and events. The spokesperson emphasised that the Motor Vehicle Administration does not endorse the views or content on the current website the URL is having users redirected to, and is collaborating with the agency’s IT department to explore potential solutions for resolving the issue.

SiGMA Group is breaking ground with 2 back-to-back summits

Experience the pinnacle of the iGaming and related industries at the SiGMA Americas and SiGMA Asia Summits, happening back-to-back in June and July. The SiGMA Americas Summit is set to take place in the vibrant city of São Paulo, Brazil, offering a unique opportunity to delve into the thriving iGaming landscape of the Americas. The excitement then continues in Manila with the SiGMA Asia Summit, where the Asian iGaming industry takes centre stage.

With a stellar line-up of industry experts, thought-provoking discussions, and cutting-edge innovations, both events promise an extraordinary experience. Immerse yourself in a wealth of knowledge, gain invaluable insights, and forge meaningful connections at this premier gathering of industry leaders.