The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has requested the Australian internet service providers (ISPs) block further offshore illegal gambling websites that violate the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
A growing list
The current state of gambling in Australia allows the ACMA to block a range of websites that violate gambling rules offshore and across the country. Back in 2017, the ACMA announced its intention to become stricter on the online casino ban in the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act, using deterrent heavy fines. However, since November 2019 the country gambling authorities started blocking these illegal gambling websites.
To be worth blocking, a website must violate the rules set out in the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 meaning their services are not meeting industry standards. Therefore, they no longer operate in the country and will be continuously monitored.
The latest request concerned the following websites – Bao Casino, Pokie Place, Reels of Joy and Ozwin Casino – that were all under investigation by ACMA after it received numerous complaints about them.
A legitimate cause
These four sites are the latest in a long list of casinos to be blocked by the watchdog that counts 263 illegal websites and over 130 others that have pulled out of the Australian market.
The ACMA claims to create a safer market by blocking websites, which “provides a valuable opportunity to alert the public to illegal gambling services”, adding that the ACMA is “reminding consumers that even if a service looks legitimate, its unlikely to have important customer protections”, meaning that “Australians who use illegal gambling services risk losing their money”.
The Australian regulatory body also offers the possibility to the owner of the website, operators, or customers to complain about the block.
