Australia to block 4 unlicensed gambling sites
The ACMA has asked Australian internet service providers to block 4 gambling sites that were operating illegally in the country.
Australia.- The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has asked Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block four unlicensed offshore gambling websites.
The offshore gambling sites listed are: Ozwin Casino, Bao Casino, Reels of Joy and Pokie Place.
The ACMA started investigating the sites after receiving numerous complaints and found that the websites were operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
The ACMA began to block unlicensed gambling sites in Australia in November 2019. Since then, it has blocked 263 gambling websites.
The authority began enforcing new illegal offshore gambling rules in 2017 and has since pulled over 130 services off the Australian market.
Online gambling sites gained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to AlphaBeta, there was a 67 per cent increase in online gambling in Australia between March and April 2020, despite the activity being unlicensed.
Although online casinos are prohibited in Australia under the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act, playing at online casinos in Australia is not illegal and operators still offer services to Australian gamblers.
