The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has added five other illegal offshore gambling sites to its list of blocked operators. The regulator demanded that Australian Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should block the websites of the brand Reef Reels, Royal Reels, Ricky Casino, Slots Gallery, and Slotastic. All five of them were found guilty of violating the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act. The ACMA issued its first block request in November 2019 and since then, 803 affiliated and illegal websites have been blocked. In addition, more than 200 illegal services have withdrawn from the Australian market since the ACMA began enforcing illegal overseas gambling rules in 2017.
Australian ISPs Block More Casino Websites for Offering Online Gambling Without License
The media regulator has been fiercely participating In the fight against illegal websites for online gambling in Australia, or foreign sites that target domestic consumers without a proper licence if we have to be more specific. The ACMA continues to fight the unregulated gambling industry poker sites, online casinos and sportsbooks, which have all extended their offers to Australian players, in violation of the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001. That is the same law the regulator uses to request Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block the offending parties.
Despite the effort, the ACMA was unable to stop the flow of unlawful gambling sites that came into existence. One persistent problem is the fact that a large number of these sites are rapidly setting up mirrored domains or servers, which allows them to avoid ISP blocks. Moreover, ISP blocks do not operate perfectly as they can sometimes restrict access to genuine businesses and harm consumers while the blockings target illegal gambling operators.
The most recent block series added brands like Slots Gallery, Slotastic, Reef Reels, and Royal Reels to the extensive list of blocked domains. Each of these brands is illegally offering gambling products to people residing all over Australia.
With the latest names added to the blockings, the list, which was launched in November 2019, surpassed 800 names. That said, to provide a more effective solution to illegal online gambling in Australia, the ACMA may need to join forces with international partners.
Continuous Blocking Orders Strive to Combat Illegal Gambling Activities in Australia
The new set of blocking came just after the media watchdog issued blocking orders for 12 websites, while in May, ISPs were requested to block three other gambling websites.
Following one of the many blocking of websites carrying out illegal gambling activities, the ACMA tried to warn consumers of the dangers that may follow when playing on unlicensed gambling websites. The regulator reminded players that even if a gaming website may seem legitimate, it is most likely to not offer any proper protection to its customers. The lack of proper protection puts players and their money at risk.
Those who want to make sure they are placing their money on licensed gambling websites can visit the official website of the ACMA and check the register provided by the regulator. Currently, a total of 67 licensed TAB-operated bookmakers and betting exchanges have been included in the said register.
- Author
Daniel Williams
