Australian ISPs ordered to block four illegal gambling sites
Australian Communications and Media Authority finds four offshore sites in breach of Interactive Gambling Act 2001
Four illegal offshore gambling websites will be banned by Australian internet service providers following a request from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
Following numerous complaints, the ACMA undertook investigations into Bao Casino, Pokie Place, Reels of Joy and Ozwin Casino.
The investigation found all four websites were operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
Breaches of the Act included providing an unlicensed interactive gambling service to customers and publishing advertisements for prohibited or unlicensed services.
Since ACMA made its first blocking request to Australian ISPs back in November 2019, 263 illegal gambling websites have been blocked.
Additionally, more than 130 illegal gambling providers have pulled out of the Australian market since 2017, when new regulations to combat offshore operators were introduced.
The ACMA said: “Website blocking provides a valuable opportunity to alert the public to illegal gambling services through the messaging that appears when there is an attempt to access the site.
“Even if a service looks legitimate, its unlikely to have important customer protections. This means Australians who use illegal gambling services risk losing their money,” the body added.