The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has taken further steps to ensure that consumers are protected in the country. For years now, the regulator has been actively blocking individual casinos by going after specific domains.
ACMA goes after suppliers of games to lessen the impact of offshore gambling
This measure has not proven too effective, as most unlicensed casinos can quickly dodge an ISP ban by simply shifting their operations to a new address. Most have backup domains ready to be set up overnight and come back to the market. ACMA further noted:
"Our engagement with software providers who have proactively withdrawn, geo-blocked, or restricted access to their licensed content on services provided by the target provider has further disrupted the operations of one of the major players in the illegal offshore gambling market."
However, ACMA has been fighting another fight, addressing suppliers that it has found to have provided their games (with or without their knowledge) to unlicensed websites. In the 2024/2025 financial year alone, ACMA has reached out to 63 suppliers, explaining that they have been partnering with websites that have been operating illegally in the country.
ACMA targeted Australian suppliers first, who had the strongest incentive to ensure compliance. According to the watchdog, 27 out of 63 suppliers have responded to the regulator’s outreach and have taken measures to ensure that they comply.
Such measures are not strange. In Sweden, for example, the Spelinspektionen, which regulates gambling, has issued enforcement action against suppliers providing their products to online casinos targeting Swedish customers without the appropriate license.
ACMA determined to uproot illegal gambling
Among the companies targeted by ACMA, there were suppliers, aggregators, and other third-party companies, which were subject to both written notices as well as more decisive measures, the watchdog explained, including ISP blocking.
ACMA continues to communicate with suppliers that it has identified as providing games to websites that target Australians without authorization. ACMA has been determined to uproot illegal gambling in the country, with the regulator doing right to target the suppliers themselves rather than focusing on websites that can reemerge at any moment.
