The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) plans to request Australian internet service providers to prohibit access to 18 unauthorized online gambling platforms.
The ACMA stated that these websites, including Syndicate Casino, Fast Pay Casino, BitStarz, and King Billy Casino, have garnered numerous complaints. Following an investigation, the agency determined that these sites contravened the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001.
The agency asserted that website blocking constitutes one of several enforcement actions employed by the ACMA to counter unlicensed gambling within the jurisdiction.
Since the agency initially submitted blocking requests in November 2019, 222 gambling websites have been prohibited. This encompasses blocking orders issued in August, October, and November 2020.
Furthermore, the ACMA disclosed that over 100 unlicensed operators have withdrawn from the Australian market since the agency commenced enforcing new offshore gambling regulations in 2017.
In November, the ACMA reminded all licensed operators in Australia to adhere to gambling advertising regulations, following the agency’s identification of discrepancies in the industry’s interpretation of these controls.
The agency has been evaluating the efficacy of the advertising rules since their introduction in 2018.
Although no major problems were discovered, there were a few discrepancies in the way the gambling firms described the regulations.
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