ACMA moves against illegal gambling sites and affiliates

ACMA, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, has moved in against illegal gambling websites and affiliates yet another time. The watchdog ordered internet service provider bans against several companies that it purports have been operating without the necessary license in the country.

The ban covers both offshore and affiliate gambling websites, to name Casino Moons, Win Paradise, Legit Gambling Sites, Gamblers Lab, Win Paradise, Extra Vegas, and Winnerama. All these Internet properties have been found to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which essentially prohibits online casinos in the country.

The move is the latest regulatory action undertaken by ACMA to restrict the reach of illegal gambling operations. ACMA began blocking websites back in November 2019 and has so far succeeded in restricting 568 illegal affiliates and gambling websites.

Meanwhile, the watchdog confirmed that some 170 services have pulled out voluntarily lest they also receive a ban. ACMA drafted its action plan in 2017 and many companies thought they had nothing to worry about as bans didn’t come until two years later. However, ACMA is actively suspending access by illegal third parties today.

Over the past months, ACMA has been actively hitting out against anyone who may have been involved in the facilitation of illegal gambling practices on the territory of Australia. The regulator even hit out against Proxous Advanced Solutions Ltd. and its popular Realtime Gaming software which may have been used by illegal gambling companies in Australia.

ACMA has urged consumers to exercise caution and make sure they are not playing on illegal gambling websites. The organization even developed a GamStop self-exclusion equivalent to ensure that consumers are better protected.

ACMA has been hitting out against illegal gambling websites, banning a list of 11 websites in July and vowing it would not stop until it has completely eliminated illegal businesses on the country’s territory. While feasible, this will require more time.

The regulator has been actively pushing and preparing the necessary paperwork to ensure that its orders have staying power. Challenges remain, though, as many bad actors are either rebuilding or using other brands to still target Australian citizens.

The good news is that ACMA’s efforts will undoubtedly lead to the elimination of the black-market sector, albeit this is bound to be a long process and one which begs the question of introducing regulated online casino websites would not be a better blow against illegal operators altogether?

Image credit: Unsplash.com