More Websites Blocked to Protect Australians Against Illegal Online Gambling

SYDNEY (October 25, 2023) — We have requested that Australian ISPs block 2 more gambling websites to protect Australians against illegal online gambling.

The websites – Wild Blaster and BetUS – were found to be in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.

Website blocking is one of a range of enforcement options to protect Australians against illegal gambling services. This action can be taken if a service is:

• providing prohibited interactive gambling services to customers in Australia (such as online casinos, online slot machines and services that allow in-play online sports betting)
• providing an unlicensed regulated interactive gambling service to customers in Australia (such as online betting services that don’t have a valid Australian licence)
• publishing ads for prohibited interactive gambling services or unlicensed regulated interactive gambling services in Australia

Since the ACMA made its first blocking request in November 2019, 863 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked.

A further 218 illegal services have also pulled out of the Australian market since the ACMA started enforcing new illegal offshore gambling rules in 2017.

Australians who use illegal gambling services are not protected by Australian laws. This means our laws can’t help if something goes wrong, like if the service provider withholds winnings.

More information about online gambling is available on the ACMA’s website, including a register of licensed wagering services, a list of blocked illegal gambling websites, information on how to protect yourself from illegal gambling operators, and instructions on how to make a complaint about an illegal site.

SOURCE: The Australian Communications and Media Authority.