One of Australia’s largest sports wagering operators Betchoice, trading as Unibet, was slapped with a fine amounting to AU$60,000 (£31,705) following an investigation conducted by the gambling regulatory body of New South Wales. Liquor & Gaming NSW probed into the betting agency’s promotional incentives and established the platform was offering unauthorised inducements to residents of the Australian state. The probe indicated some of the promotional incentives offered by Betchoice actively encouraged residents to register real-money betting accounts and partake in gambling activities. The incentives in question consisted of odds boosts and “price push” bonuses, the results of the investigation revealed.
The Downing Centre Local Court subsequently convicted the company for violating the Betting and Racing Act 1998, the primary piece of legislation that governs gambling activities in New South Wales. The legislation stipulates that it is a criminal offence to publish marketing materials containing inducements to frequently participate in any form of gambling.
According to the Executive Director of Liquor & Gaming NSW Jane Lin, this is precisely what Unibet did with its promotional incentives. Lin stressed that betting companies are obliged by law to ensure their marketing materials comply with the requirements on gambling advertising in New South Wales. These are serious violations since they increase the likelihood of people developing an addiction and other gambling-related problems, Lin explained.
The company pleaded guilty to violating Section 33H(1) of the above-mentioned legislation and was ordered to pay two separate fines to the amount of AU$30,000 each, on top of the regulatory body’s court expenses. The Executive Director of the regulatory agency pointed out this is not the first time Betchoice is found guilty of breaching the state’s gambling legislation.
Unibet Has a Record of Breaching Gambling Advertising Rules
The operator was convicted for similar violations in the summer of 2021 when it was slugged with a five-figure fine for publishing three illegal gambling ads that also encouraged gambling participation actively. The ads in question were posted on the operator’s website as well as on the Australia-facing version of the App Store. The company had to pay AU$16,000 per offence, incurring a total of AU$48,000 in fines plus AU$3,900 in the form of court costs and legal fees. Unibet suffered a similar conviction one year earlier when it was fined AU$15,000 for enticing residents to engage in gambling activities.
The Australian government is currently under intense pressure to impose tighter restrictions on gambling adverts or ban them altogether from appearing on television and radio. The push comes amid growing concerns that residents are falling victim to the increasing advertising budgets of gambling companies like TAB and Sportsbet. The advertising spend of betting firms operating on the local market has increased by over 300% over the past decade, according to teal independent Zoe Daniel. As Casino Guardian reported, Daniel submitted a bill to the House of Representatives earlier this week that seeks to completely outlaw gambling ads on radio, television, and streaming platforms.
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Olivia Cole
