The fine amounts to roughly $35,000 US dollars and was handed down to the entity for sending more than 104,000 SMS promotional materials without offering the option to unsubscribe, the Australian Communications and Media Authority reported.

Promotional Messages Fail to Offer Consumers a Way Out

BetDeluxe also failed to include sender information in nearly 820,000 SMS options that it placed. The date of the breaches goes back to the period between December 2021 and February 2022. Many of the SMSs contained information about “VIP service” and “cheeky punt” the regulator said in an official statement detailing the case.

ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin condemned the practice and said that it was unacceptable to see companies try to offer consumers gambling products but not offer them the option to not receive such advertisements in future. O’Loughlin added:

We received complaints from a significant number of people, with many expressing their frustration about receiving promotions for gambling.

ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin

The ACMA official continued by explaining that it wasn’t just about the fact that spam is annoying. Gambling entails a high degree of financial risk and emotional harm that can ensue, and therefore it’s important for companies such as BetDeluxe to take their compliance matters very seriously.

BetDeluxe has sought to remedy the situation by committing to two years of independent review of its e-marketing practices – a sign of the company’s dedication to moving past this accident and ensuring that it meets full regulatory standards. O’Loughlin confirmed that the regulator will continue to monitor the brand and ensure that it pertains to all regulatory norms.

Australian regulation in the gambling industry has been tightening significantly over the past months, especially so after the criminal investigations of Crown Resorts and The Star Entertainment.