Within the past year, however, the website www.starspangled200.org has stopped providing information about the historical significance of the War of 1812 and has instead started redirecting users to a site called globeinternational.info. On this redirected site, a flashing, bikini-clad woman entices visitors with an advertisement for the "Philippines Best Betting Site, Deposit 100 Receive 250."
The discovery of this issue was made by a Redditor who expressed dissatisfaction, 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 numerous other Marylanders) am inadvertently promoting international online gambling."
Domain registration records indicate that starspangled200.org has changed ownership multiple times over the past few years. It remains unclear when the website transitioned from being a platform dedicated to American history to its current state. An archived snapshot from December 2022 reveals that the website provided information about the War of 1812 and its impact on the Chesapeake Bay region. However, the latest snapshot explains the "extremely lenient laws governing gaming" in the Philippines, attributing it to the surge in gambling's popularity among tourists and the construction of large casino resorts.
A spokesperson from the Maryland Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Administration clarified that the website printed on the license plates does not belong to their agency. The design and content of the plates were developed by the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission in 2007, with the nonprofit organization Star-Spangled 200, Inc. affiliated with the Commission overseeing fundraising efforts for bicentennial projects and events.
The spokesperson emphasized that the Motor Vehicle Administration does not endorse the views or content presented on the current website and is actively collaborating with their IT department to explore options for resolving this unintended issue.
Source: Vice
