The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued blocking orders against 11 offshore gambling and affiliate marketing websites operating illegally in the country. The ACMA named the sites to be blocked which included including, Greenspin, Slotman, Jeetcity, Betibet, Candyland Casino, Thunderpick, Golden Lion, Digits 7, Sector 777, New Vegas, and PayID Pokies for breaching the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The Authority has requested that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) block access to the sites it has cited.

ACMA crackdown

Since November 2019, ACMA has blocked 893 illegal gambling and affiliate websites with 220 illegal services exiting the Oceanic nation since 2017. Website blocking has been heavily relied upon by the ACMA with it forming part of a range of enforcement options to protect Australians against illegal gambling. These recent orders join a growing list of brands facing similar measures throughout Australia.  This announcement also came with a warning to consumers from the ACMA stating: “ACMA is reminding consumers that even if a service looks legitimate, it’s unlikely to have important customer protections. This means Australians who use illegal gambling services risk losing their money.” The 11  aforementioned sites joined the long list of brands facing blocking orders in Australia which included Wild Blaster and BetUS which were ruled to have been offering gambling in the country illegally.

Additional measures 

The Australian Senate has recently approved a ban on credit cards for online gambling, with a six-month transition period before coming into effect. This comes as a supplement to the ban on credit cards for land-based gaming aligning the regulations for all forms of gambling. The legislation has passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate, awaiting royal assent before implementation.

SiGMA Eurasia

SiGMA’s world-renowned summits will return in 2024 when SiGMA Eurasia graces the industry’s calendar once again. Dubai will be the host yet again for the much-anticipated conference and exhibition from the 25th – 27th of February. Get your tickets now to ensure you won’t miss out!