ACMA blocks 2 more offshore websites

The Australian regulator has blocked the sites for breaches of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.

Australia.- The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a request for Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block two more gambling websites for violations of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The sites are Lucky Block and Rooli.

The ACMA blocks sites that offer unlicensed interactive gambling services or publish advertisements for prohibited services. Since its first request in November 2019, it has blocked 1,059 sites. The regulator says over 220 illegal services have been withdrawn from the market.

It reminded consumers that even if a service looks legitimate, it’s unlikely to have customer protections. People can check if a wagering service is licensed to operate in Australia on ACMA’s register.

BetStop registrations reach 30,493

Some 30,493 Australians have decided to self-exclude from all licensed online and phone wagering services since BetStop was launched last August. As of September 30, 23,182 people had active exclusions while 7,311 people had completed their self-exclusion or cancelled their exclusion early.

New South Wales tops the list of jurisdictions with the most registrants at 9,537 followed by Victoria with 8,193 and Queensland with 6,140. Northern Territory is the jurisdiction with least registrants at 496.

See also: New gambling measures in New South Wales see 93% compliance

According to ACMA, 49 per cent of registrants were under the age of 30, 30 per cent were 31 to 40 and 12 per cent were 41 to 50. Some 39 per cent decided to self-exclude for life while an equal percentage chose to self-exclude from three months to two years.

The register allows people to self-exclude for a minimum of three months up to a lifetime.