One of the major issues facing online casinos in Australia is their adherence to Australian gambling laws. This means that many websites that are not based in Australia are not compliant with these laws, and as a result, they are not allowed to operate in Australia.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority declared that services such as Casino Moons, Winnerama, Extra Vegas, and Win Paradise have been restricted due to violations of the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001. As a consequence of directives from this regulatory body, these specific domains are now under a ban. ACMA revealed that their catalog of banned services has now exceeded 500 entities, including the likes of Ninja Spins, Pokies Parlour, CasinoAus, Arlekin Casino, Thebes Casino, Tangiers Casino, and Winward Casino.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) publishes on sites relating to online gambling that it has blocked 568 permutations of websites unlicensed in Australia for 33 months. From this, the ACMA asserts that “over 170 illegal services have also pulled out of the Australian market” due to new reforms implemented in 2017.
ACMA also states that 11% of Australian residents are struggling with a gambling addiction while it simultaneously saw a yearly increase of 3% in active gamblers.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has blocked several online gambling platforms for being in “breach of the Interactive Gambling Act” – a law that makes it illegal to provide interactive gaming services without a license. In order to comply with the law, these companies had to stop accepting payments from Australians and will be fined. Many other websites around the world have also been blocked by this law due to the increasing popularity of their respective games in the country. This move is seen as a preventative measure to protect Australian citizens from participating in illegal gambling activities. There have been multiple instances in the past where Australian citizens have lost money to offshore gambling sites, so the ACMA’s action is definitely warranted.
The ACMA says that it will continue to work with other regulators on cross-border issues relating to online gambling and that any company found to be in breach of the act will face consequences including fines and possible closure.
Australians can check to see if a gambling provider is approved, legal, and vetted, at the ACMA page of permitted operators.
Betting on sports
Australia is home to some of the most popular sports in the world, and with betting on these events becoming increasingly popular, online gambling has become an integral part of many Australians’ lives.
In recent years, online gambling has evolved into a thriving industry, with punters able to place bets on all kinds of sporting events, including Australian Rules Football (AFL), cricket, rugby union, and NASCAR.
Despite this growth in popularity, however, there are still a number of legal hurdles that need to be cleared before Australians can legally bet on sports online. This includes ensuring that the sites offering sports betting are legitimate and operating within the law, as well as ensuring that customers are protected from scams and fraudulent activity.