Chaney says enforcement a distraction as ACMA blocks more gambling sites
An Australian politician has responded to the Australian Communication and Media Authority’s decision to block another eight gambling websites by declaring it a “distraction” and called for more regulation.
ACMA has requested that Australian internet service providers (ISPs) block eight more offshore gambling websites, with these including Fortune Play, Velobet and Lucky Mate.
Australia is regarded as one of the most lucrative iGaming industries in the world, despite there being no regulation and offshore gambling sites being banned and a steady stream of enforcement action being taken.
Independent and Federal Member for Curtin Kate Chaney, while endorsing the latest round of blocks, said the ACMA was dancing around the real issue by not making significant changes and regulating online gambling.
“ACMA has blocked 10 more illegal gambling sites – necessary, but don’t buy the distraction – we still need more consistent regulation of legal gambling companies, in line with the Murphy Report,” said Chaney, on popular social media platform X.
While the Interactive Gambling Act explicitly prohibits online casinos in Australia, many offshore gambling sites, based in places like Curacao and Costa Rica, still accept players from down under.
The Murphy Report, written by the late ALP politician Peta Murphy, essentially calls for a regulated approach to real money online gambling in Australia.
While sports betting is legal in Australia, the current settings, which have outlawed new account incentives and implemented higher tax rates, have made it tough for betting sites to compete with the offshore industry.
Website blocking is one of a range of enforcement options to protect Australians against illegal online gambling. Since the ACMA made its first blocking request in November 2019, 1,518 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked. Over 220 illegal services have also pulled out of the Australian market since the ACMA started enforcing new illegal online gambling rules in 2017.
When a URL is blocked, many gambling companies simply launch a new URL, directing traffic to this website via affiliate websites and even via a redirect in some cases. Others advise players to use VPNs or just change the brand and notify the players via email.
The tough nature of blocking offshore companies is highlighted by affiliate companies, like Casino Guru, having removed their reviews of these banned websites within hours of the block being announced.
ACMA told consumers that even if a service looks legitimate, it’s unlikely to have important customer protections. This means Australians who use illegal gambling services risk losing their money.
The latest gambling websites blocked to Australians include:
- Vegastars
- Wombet
- Cosmobet
- Fortune Play
- Fortunica
- Rolletto
- Velobet
- Lucky Mate
