The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has ordered the blocking of three offshore gambling sites.
‘A Big Candy’, ‘Jackpoty’, and ‘John Vegas Casino’ have all been found to be lacking the necessary licensing.
As a result of the investigation, the regulator required Australian Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to these sites as they violated the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA).
According to existing regulations, any offshore or local operators aiming to cater to Australian clients must acquire a license from the relevant regulatory body.
Highlighting the dangers of using unlicensed services, the ACMA said: “Even if a service appears to be legitimate, it is unlikely to have meaningful customer protection mechanisms. This means Australians who use illegal gambling services risk losing their money.”
The regulator reminded consumers that all Australian-licensed bookmakers can be found on the ACMA register.
Since the beginning of the year, there has been an increase in the number of illegal offers that are being stopped by ACMA.
In February, after a detailed investigation, 12 gaming sites were found to be in violation of the IGA. Australian ISPs have again had to step in under current legislation.
Most recently, during April’s Women’s World Cup, another 18 proposals were blacklisted. Three of them were withdrawn from the market, and access to the rest was again disabled by Internet providers.
At the time, Carolyn Lidgerwood, ACMA’s Online Gambling Lead, commented: “Illegal gambling operations often take advantage of high-profile sporting events to push their services onto fans. These sites also offer none of the consumer protections that apply to licensed wagering services in Australia. Using these sites is more than a gamble as you have no rights, and even if you win, you may never see the money.”
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