The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued formal warnings to three betting operators.
The warnings are related to breaches of Australia’s gambling self-exclusion rules, which are meant to protect people who register with the Betstop national self-exclusion register (NSER).
Four betting operators were found to have breached the NSER rules by either sending marketing materials to self-excluded players or allowing them to resume gambling through their accounts after the expiry of their self-exclusion period.
An ACMA investigation found that Buddybet failed to close the wagering accounts of people on the NSER and sent marketing to them, but the ACMA took no further action as the company has since exited the Australian market.
A separate investigation found that Ultrabet reopened the account of a player at the end of their self-exclusion period and allowed that person to bet through that account, with the operator also found to have sent marketing to a self-excluded person.
Under the NSER rules, players who want to resume gambling at the end of their self-exclusion period must create a new account.
The other two operators, online bookmakers VicBet and Topbet, both breached the NSER rules by sending marketing to a self-excluded person.
“Wagering providers should know their obligations under the rules and know that we are enforcing them. The rules about account closure must be complied with,” said ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood.
“People on the NSER have made a conscious effort to exclude themselves from online gambling services. Sending gambling marketing messages to people who are trying to stop gambling is unacceptable. Betting services must have systems in place that respect the decisions of people to self-exclude, or face further consequences.”
The ACMA has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from Ultrabet, which commits the company to review its compliance systems and processes and implement improvements. The authority has also issued formal warnings to VicBet and Topbet.