The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has taken motion in opposition to four firms discovered to offer gambling services with out the required approvals in Australia. The regulator issued formal warnings to every operator, cautioning them that ongoing breaches might lead to stricter enforcement steps, together with requests to block entry to their sites.
The warnings have been addressed to Stellar Ltd, which runs the web on line casino model Spinit; Just Entertainment B.V., accountable for Lucky Ones7; Digibrite S.R.L., the operator of The Pokies; and Hollycorn N.V., behind Slot Lounge. According to ACMA’s investigation, every of those firms had made gambling merchandise out there to Australian gamers regardless of not holding a license to achieve this.
The regulator defined that providing gambling with out authorization not solely violates the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 but in addition denies customers the protections out there below the licensed system. In a press release, ACMA careworn that “the provision of unlicensed gambling services is a serious violation” and made clear that repeat non-compliance could lead on to escalated actions, resembling urging web service suppliers to prohibit entry to these platforms.
Website Blocking as a Key Enforcement Tool
The newest actions are a part of a wider technique by the Authority to curb illegal gambling exercise within the nation. Website blocking has change into one among ACMA’s major enforcement instruments since its first request to Australian ISPs in late 2019. Over time, this technique has led to 1,322 gambling and affiliate web sites being rendered inaccessible inside Australia.
The ACMA lately confirmed that Slot Lounge and Spinit are among the many latest additions to the checklist of blocked sites, alongside Betzillo, FastSpin99, and PokiesProfessionals. Blocking requests are designed to restrict the attain of illegal services and to steer gamers away from platforms that fail to adjust to the nation’s legal guidelines.
Since the Authority started imposing its strengthened measures in 2017, about 220 offshore operators have voluntarily withdrawn from the Australian gambling market. Officials have described this as proof that constant regulatory strain is deterring firms from persevering with to goal native customers illegally.
Ongoing Scrutiny and Consumer Warnings
The enforcement exercise in opposition to Stellar Ltd is notable as a result of the corporate had already come below scrutiny earlier this 12 months. In August, it was issued a separate warning for providing unlicensed on-line on line casino services by means of the Spinit model, exhibiting that regulators are retaining shut monitor of repeat offenders.
ACMA’s broader compliance program entails monitoring offshore web sites, coordinating with cost suppliers, and dealing with ISPs to block entry to operators who persistently flout rules. The purpose is to safeguard Australians from the monetary and private dangers tied to unregulated gambling.
Consumers are additionally being reminded that appearances could be deceptive. The Authority has cautioned that even when a web based gambling service appears skilled or reliable, it’s “unlikely to have important customer protections” if it lacks an Australian license. Players utilizing such sites danger shedding funds, with restricted or no recourse. To assist, ACMA maintains a public register the place anybody can examine whether or not a wagering operator is legally accredited to function within the nation.
The regulator has additionally printed guides and sources explaining how Australians can defend themselves from unlicensed services and the way to submit complaints about illegal sites.
A Continued Push for Market Integrity
The four new warnings add to a rising physique of enforcement actions geared toward cleansing up the web gambling atmosphere in Australia. By focusing on operators with out licenses and growing using web site blocking, ACMA continues to emphasize that solely regulated platforms will probably be tolerated available in the market.
With greater than a thousand web sites already blocked and a whole bunch of services compelled in a foreign country, the regulator’s message is obvious: unlicensed gambling has no place in Australia’s on-line market, and continued violations won’t go unchecked.
Source:
Latest illegal online gambling websites blocked, acma.gov.au, September 2025
