ACMA fines BetDeluxe US$34,400 for breaching SMS rules
BetDeluxe sent over 104,000 SMS without an unsubscribe function
Australia.- The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has fined the Australian online sportsbook BetDeluxe AU$50,172 (US$34,400) for breaching rules intended to protect people from spam. It found that the company sent over 104,000 SMS without an unsubscribe function and more than 820,000 SMS that did not contain the sender’s contact details.
The text messages, sent between December 2021 and February 2022, promoted “cheeky punts” and VIP services for sports and racing. They also promoted bonus bets and money-back offers.
ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin said: “We received complaints from a significant number of people, with many expressing their frustration about receiving promotions for gambling. Any spam can be annoying, but when gambling is involved the risk of financial and emotional harm can be pronounced, so it’s important that wagering operators take compliance very seriously.”
ACMA accepted BetDeluxe’s two-year court-enforceable undertaking to require the company to independently review its electronic marketing practices and make improvements where necessary. BetDeluxe is required to submit regular compliance reports to ACMA and provide spam training to its staff.
Over the past 18 months, companies have paid more than AU$6.4m in fines for violating spam and telemarketing laws in Australia. ACMA accepted 13 legally binding commitments and issued one formal warning. In February last year, ACMA fined Sportsbet AU$3.7m and ordered it to issue customer refunds following an investigation.
See also: ACMA orders blocks on 6 illegal offshore gambling websites
