Offshore gambling companies are using affiliate websites to reach Australians registered with BetStop, reportedly encouraging some to gamble before their exclusion periods end. An ACMA spokesperson called the practice concerning and said it undermines the register; BetStop has 45,000 registrants but does not cover offshore providers.
Offshore affiliate outreach may undermine BetStop by reaching registrants outside its provider coverage.
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Reportedly, Australia’s Parliament passed federal gambling reforms on 19 August. The legislation introduces the Adstop advertising opt-out register and requires wagering operators to identify customers at risk of harm and stop offering them inducements. It also prohibits direct inducement marketing during customers’ first 14 days and inducements within three months of leaving BetStop.
PointsBet Group chief executive Andrew Catterall warned at its annual general meeting that Australian advertising reforms could raise licensed operators’ costs and hinder competition with offshore businesses. He urged the government to give enforcement agencies sufficient resources and powers to block illegal offshore operators.
The Supreme Court of Victoria ordered Entain to notify customers about a class action alleging its Fast Code service breached Australian gambling law. The case covers customers who allegedly lost money using the service between 4 March 2019 and 4 March 2025; Entain disputes the allegation and argues in a counterclaim that it should recover winnings if losing bets are refunded.
Australia’s BetStop register accumulated 67,480 registrations over three years, citing ACMA. At 31 July, 41,290 exclusions remained active, while 38% of registrants had selected lifetime exclusion. ACMA has formed a taskforce to implement improvements recommended by an independent review.
Reportedly, Australia legislated a national register allowing users to opt out of online wagering advertising. ACMA must design, implement and enforce the system over the next 12 months. The envisaged model would require online services carrying gambling advertisements to check registrations every 14 days and suppress those advertisements for registered users.