The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued blocking orders against seven affiliate gambling sites that directed players to illegal offshore casinos. The authority ordered the internet service providers of the sites to block access for players.
The blocks came about as the sites had presented themselves as independent authorities on casinos in Australia but were directing players to offshore and unregulated casinos. The rules Down Under have always been strict, but they have also been clear in regards to unregulated offshore gambling sites.
ACMA gained new enforcement powers in November 2019 and has been placing blocking requests with ISPs since then. In this time, 279 gambling sites that have been deemed to be operating illegally have been blocked. This has also led to 144 operators pulling out of Australia since 2017 when there was an initial crackdown on illegal offshore gambling.
Fiona Cameron, ACMA authority member, said: “These marketing sites can push you to illegal gambling services that do not have the protections that go with licensed and regulated services.”
Compliance is mandatory
Affiliates who wish to operate in the complex Australian markets need to be aware of the many guidelines, and need to maintain compliance with all of their actions and campaigns. Compliance is a must for any iGaming affiliate. In the eyes of the Australian authorities, offshore sites cannot be regulated and therefore cannot be considered to be safe places to gamble.
Anyone who wishes to operate in this area needs to do adequate research to ensure that they are working with brands that are compliant with the Australian rules and regulations.
