Australian Communications and Media Authority Takes Action Against Five More Gambling Websites
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the government agency responsible for overseeing online and media regulation, has issued orders to block five additional offshore gambling websites.
The websites in question, namely Viperspin, Just Casino, Betandplay, Playfina, and Comic Play Casino, were found by the ACMA to be operating illegally within Australia, in violation of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
ACMA has instructed internet service providers in the country to block access to these online casinos. When users attempt to visit these websites, they will encounter a government message instead of the site's homepage.
ACMA emphasized in a statement that players in Australia who use such illegal gambling websites will not be protected by Australian laws. This lack of protection means that players may have no recourse if issues arise, such as service providers withholding winnings.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is authorized to take action against gambling websites that lack licenses to operate in the country or offer prohibited services, including online slot games and in-play sports betting. Additionally, advertising for unlicensed websites or those offering prohibited services is also prohibited, potentially leading to ACMA requesting the blocking of the respective publisher.
With this latest directive, ACMA has now successfully blocked 835 gambling and affiliate websites. Since its crackdown on illegal offshore gambling began in 2017, the regulator has also compelled 215 services to exit the Australian market.
In previous months, ACMA ordered the blocking of Crown Pokies and Play AUD for violations of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. In July, the Australian Communications and Media Authority took action against five more websites: Reef Reels, Royal Reels, Ricky Casino, Slots Gallery, and Slotastic. June marked a particularly active month for ACMA, with the blocking of 12 websites, following the shutdown of three websites in May 2023.
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Our Conclusion
While we always love the approach of some kind of control, we suggest the authorities actually come up with some normalised rules for gambling, because otherwise more and more players will end up in offshore casinos gambling illegally.


Sasuke12345678 Finally, some sensible limits! Protecting younger players with lower stake caps is a smart move, though I do wonder if high-stakes enthusiasts will simply migrate to less regulated platforms.


YellowKetch Great move by LeoVegas! Excited to see how this transition improves the sportsbook experience. Hope they bring better odds and more live betting options!


yellowpine I really don’t understand how the government can make these changes without proper safeguards in place. Northern Ireland already has one of the highest gambling addiction rates, and now we’re increasing the risks with higher stakes. Where’s the plan to protect vulnerable players? It feels like the government is prioritizing revenue over public health.


TheHereTom It's mind-blowing how these gambling giants rake in massive profits while their customers, often struggling with addiction, lose everything. The tax payments might be high, but what about the social impact? It’s time for tighter regulations to protect vulnerable players.


YellowThundy It's great to see Turkey taking a strong stand against illegal gambling. Ontario could definitely benefit from a similar crackdown to protect players and ensure the integrity of the gambling market.