As the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is pushing to limit the reach of illegal gambling websites and has been repeatedly placing requests with overseas regulators to help act against websites outside of its jurisdiction, the watchdog has simultaneously continued to issue blocks against operators that target Australians without official permission to do so.
ACMA stays the course and keeps banning illegal operators
The latest round of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) blocks has been handed out against nine websites, which the watchdog says are in breach of the country’s Interactive Gambling Act 2001. Most of these websites offer online casino gambling, which is prohibited in Australia, and are therefore operating in breach of existing regulations.
Among the websites blocked are Cashed, King Maker, Posido, Spinight, Spinsy, next2go, The Pokies Reviews, Topio Networks, and wizbet app. In the case of wizbet app, the website was designed to mimic WizBet, a licensed operator.
ACMA has stuck to its strategy of blocking websites that it believes are operating in violation by identifying and studying the offenders first. While the process has been slow and resource-heavy, the regulator has so far blocked 1,369 illegal gambling websites since November 2019.
Casino Guru's Head of Casino Research, Matej Novota, had this to add: "Blocking is a good disruption tool, yet without broader enforcement and unified regulation, it’s just a speed bump for illegal operators who know how to stay one step ahead. I commend ACMA's proactive stance in reaching out to overseas regulators and initiating the sort of cross-border cooperation that could one day lead to meaningful results, all while maintaining pressure on the illegal gambling market through URL blocks."
220 websites have left on their own accord, after ACMA said that it would seek to inform overseas regulators about their unlicensed operation in the country. However, ACMA is facing other challenges as well.
Targeting gambling addicts is the new challenge for ACMA
It is not just that gambling websites are targeting citizens. Many are actually going after those who are the most vulnerable, i.e. people who have been excluded through BetStop, the national self-exclusion registry.
ACMA recently said that many rogue operators are now specifically tailoring their websites to appear on results for searches such as "websites not on BetStop," which presumably targets gambling addicts and people who are suffering from gambling-related harm.
