Australian gambling operator, Tabcorp, has been issued with an AU$14,000 fine after it was found to be in breach of the gambling advertising laws that were introduced last year.
The laws, which were brought into effect in July 2018, prevent operators from encouraging punters, who are not already registered gamblers, to participate in any gambling activity — including inducements to bet more frequently.
However, after it was found that the operator had launched an advert reading “HEAD TO HEAD SPECIAL – KHABIB VS MCGREGOR – if your fighter loses by decision, bonus bet back up to $50” through its mobile app on October 4 last year, Tabcorp was fined.
It was found that punters who were not registered with the operator were still able to view the promotion.
“It is a fact that problem gambling brings with it many social problems affecting not just the afflicted person but potentially also their families and the wider community,” Chief Magistrate Henson held.
“There is a moral and social obligation on the part of governments who seek to benefit from the taxation levied on this type of conduct to pursue the objective of reducing the fact of and impact from problem gambling. It is not surprising in that context that a dim view is taken of breaches of the law, whether they are deliberate or by reason of inadvertence,” the Chief Magistrate said.
The Chief Magistrate issued an initial $10,000 for the infraction, followed by a $4,000 bill for the government’s legal costs.
Nicholas Tzaferis, Tabcorp’s general manager of corporate communications, said the company backs the current gambling regulations in place. He commented: “The promotion in question was displayed only to account holders, in line with the regulations, for all but a brief period when it was visible to a wider audience, on the age-gated TAB app, as a result of human error.
“This was remedied by Tabcorp as soon as it was discovered by us less than 24 hours after it was posted.”
