26 September 2023

ACMA shows hand on gambling laws

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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is to use its powers to block illegal offshore gambling websites found to be breaching Australian’s gambling laws.

Chair of ACMA, Nerida O’Loughlin said the Authority would be asking internet service providers to block the sites.

“We have been targeting illegal gambling services we know are active in the Australian market through complaints received and monitoring. But we expect that list of sites will grow as we investigate more,” Ms O’Loughlin said.

“The ability to have ISPs block illegal websites will be a valuable additional weapon in the ACMA’s arsenal in the fight against illegal online gambling,” she said.

“In many cases these sites refuse to pay significant winnings, or only a small portion.”

She said customers had also experienced illegal operators continuing to withdraw funds from their bank account without authorisation.

“There is little to no recourse for consumers engaging with these unscrupulous operators,” Ms O’Loughlin said.

She urged Australians with funds deposited with an illegal gambling site to withdraw their funds immediately.

“More than 65 illegal companies have pulled out of the Australian market since 2017 when the ACMA started enforcing new illegal offshore gambling rules,” she said.

“We have achieved this through working with other regulatory agencies, placing directors of these gambling sites on the Department of Home Affairs Movement Alert List and notifying regulators in the home countries of the sites.”

She said ACMA published a register of licensed interactive wagering services so consumers can be sure of the services legal in Australia.

The register can be viewed at this PS News link.

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