ACMA continues illegal gambling crackdown as Casino Belle blocked in Australia

Casino Belle, ACMA said, has been offering online gambling to players in breach of Australian law. The website features internet games such as slots and live casino – both of which are prohibited in the country.

Due to it breaching the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 the ACMA has now requested that internet service providers block access to Casino Belle’s site.

More than 1,000 gambling sites blocked in Australia

Blocking is one of several enforcement options available to the ACMA as it cracks down on illegal and unlicensed operators. Since making its first blocking request in November 2019, some 1,033 illegal and affiliate websites have been banned.

Additionally, over 220 illegal services have exited Australia since ACMA began enforcing new illegal offshore gambling rules in 2017.

“The ACMA is reminding consumers that even if a service looks legitimate, it’s unlikely to have important customer protections,” ACMA warned. “You can check if a wagering service is licensed to operate in Australia on our register.”

Among the other websites blocked in recent months are Casino Australia Online, Pokies.bet, Pokiesman and Smart Pokies.

Richard Casino and Wanted Win were also flagged by ACMA in July, while A Big Candy, Jackpoty and John Vegas Casino were blocked in June for breaching similar online gambling rules. 

ACMA also targeting broadcasters and streamers

ACMA’s remit does not stop with the B2C operators. Last month, it reprimanded streaming platform 10 Play for broadcasting gambling ads during the day.

10 Play was issued a formal warning for streaming an advert during two sports streams on 14 October 2023. Gambling ads in Australia are banned during sports matches streamed between 5am and 8.30pm.

Network Ten, the network behind 10 Play, said an error in a manual coding process caused the breach. It has since upgraded its processes, with its gambling ad scheduling is largely automated.

Australia will soon have new rules and regulations in place for gambling ads as the government is considering enforcing a cap on betting ads to ensure children and vulnerable people are no longer targeted while watching live sports.

Despite calls from former politicians and gambling reform backers, the government is not expected to adopt a blanket ban on gambling advertising.