ACMA issues new blocking order against 12 sites in June

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is clearly on a war path against all unregulated and illegally operating gambling websites in the country. The latest blocking order that has asked of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block 12 gambling websites is proof that the regulator is determined to carry on and act against any entity that infringes the country’s Interactive Gambling Act 2001.

The list of illegal gambling entities blocked in Australia has increased to well over 785 websites, and it is bound to continue growing. ACMA has taken a piecemeal approach that goes through often long official channels to ensure that wrongdoers are actually acted against in the most efficient way possible. In the meantime, the watchdog has even reached out to Curacao and asked the government there to take a closer look at licensed entities which may be breaching specific gambling laws in individual jurisdictions.

The latest round of block websites in Australia includes Tsars, Zen Casino, Zen Betting, Cleopatra Casino, Goodman Casino, Zoome Casino, Yabby Casino, Neon54, Rabona, 5Gringos, AlfCasino, and 1RED. The overall list of blocked websites already runs in the hundreds, the regulator confirms. The issue is not one that can be turned a blind eye to either.

According to Responsible Wagering Australia, an industry body, the offshore gambling sector could be costing $3bn in lost tax opportunities and sports partnerships before long. This gives the matter all the more urgency. Australia, with its prolific gambling industry, has been a prime destination for online gambling websites, often operating without the appropriate license, to target citizens.

Australia currently does not allow interactive casinos in any form, which means that any online casino that is available to Australians – and specifically tailors its offer to customers in the country – is already in breach of the aforementioned Interactive Gambling Act 2001. ACMA has also been busy trying to help consumers understand how to spot an illegal gambling website and submit a tip, although the watchdog has been pretty good at finding out such casinos itself.

On balance, ACMA began banning and blocking websites in November 2019 and has consistently done so ever since. As a result, fewer bad actors are available on the local market, although operators who have no license to lose are still coming back and launching mirror sites to try and cajole more players. ACMA is standing watch.

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