The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is not slowing down in restricting access to offshore gambling in the country, an industry that has been thriving for years before ACMA decided to take action a few years back. ACMA has requested from internet service providers (ISPs) to suspend access to five new offshore websites, including Fight Club, Kim Vegas, Queenspins, Yoju Casino, and Spin Bit.
The aforementioned brands have violated the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which prohibits supplying iGaming services to Australian nationals on the territory of the country without receiving a license prior to that. There are no online casinos in Australia that may operate legally presently.
Following up on Consumer and Business Complaints
ACMA decided to act after receiving a number of complaints about those websites and information that they had been targeting customers. As a result, the watchdog has ordered ISPs to restrict access to the said websites and services. In an official statement, the regulator detailed:
“We are reminding people that even if a gambling service looks legitimate, it is unlikely to have important customer protections; this means Australians who use illegal gambling sites risk losing their money.”
ACMA
ACMA has been ramping up its efforts to eliminate access to offshore gambling websites. Since this began in November 2019, the watchdog has blacklisted some 324 websites and taken action to restrict access to them.
Chasing Away Offshore Operators with Success
The tough stance has yielded better results, with reportedly some 147 unlicensed services quitting the Australian market voluntarily, probably anticipating a suspension of service sooner or later. ACMA first began looking into illegal offshore gambling in 2017, but it wasn’t until a few years after that the watchdog announced that it would suspend websites and seek international assistance.
Some brands have been threatened with ACMA lodging a formal complaint with their overseas licensing authorities, for example. The present ban comes after ACMA blocked several other operators last month, name Grand Rush, Koala Royal, National Casino, Jackpot Jill, and Juicy Stakes.