ACMA blocks more illegal gambling sites

Gambling Insider
 
ACMA blocks more illegal gambling sites
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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has requested that internet service providers (ISPs) in the country block more illegal offshore gambling and affiliate marketing websites.

The latest sites to join the growing list are Pokies Parlour, Ninja Spins, Pokies Online Casino, CasinoAus, Australian Casino Sites, and AU Online Casino.

The authority undertook investigations which found the sites to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.

“Website blocking is one of a range of enforcement options to protect Australians against illegal online gambling,” a statement from the ACMA read. “Website blocking provides a valuable opportunity to alert the public to illegal gambling services through the messaging that appears when there is an attempt to access the site.”

Since the authority first made a blocking request in November 2019, a total of 426 illegal gambling websites have been blocked. Moreover, over 160 illegal services have pulled out of the Australian market since the ACMA began enforcing new illegal offshore gambling rules in 2017.

The ACMA also reminded consumers about the legitimacy of certain services, explaining that even if a service looks legitimate, it may still lack crucial customer protections, meaning customers who use illegal gambling services are at risk of losing their money.

Last month, new research from the ACMA reported that over one in ten Australians participated in online gambling at some stage in the last six months. The 11% total was an increase from the 8% total in 2020.