ACMA blocked 96 illegal offshore gambling websites in Q3
ACMA looked into 314 enquiries and complaints between July and September.
Australia.- The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has shared its action report on interactive gambling between July and September 2022. It ordered blocks on 96 offshore gambling sites and found 20 affiliate services to be in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) by aiding the act of providing illegal gambling services.
The ACMA looked into 314 enquiries and complaints and completed 12 investigations into 25 gambling sites. It found 27 breaches: 21 for providing a prohibited interactive gambling service to Australian customers and six for providing an unlicensed regulated interactive gambling service to Australian customers.
The majority of the websites blocked offered casino-style games like blackjack, roulette, poker and slots. A number of the sites also provided wagering services.
See also: ACMA orders blocks on more illegal gambling websites
ACMA raps two media outlets for broadcasting gambling ads
Last month, the ACMA found that two media outlets – Seven Network and Nine Network – had breached advertising rules by showing betting promotions during sporting events.
An investigation found that Seven Network showed 49 betting promotions in its Olympics coverage in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide in July and August 2021. The media outlet was also ran gambling advertisements on its live streams from the Olympics.
Meanwhile, Nine Network broadcast gambling ads during halftime in the NRL Finals on October 3, 2021, at 8.21pm. Under current rules, broadcasters must not air gambling advertising during or within five minutes of live sports broadcast between 5am and 8.30pm.
