Tabcorp Hit with Substantial Fine for Unauthorized In-Play Betting
Tabcorp Faces Penalties Over Betting Violations, Additional Illegal Gambling Sites Blocked
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has imposed a fine on Tabcorp amounting to AU$262,920 for unauthorized in-play betting activities. The investigation revealed that between April and October 2023, Tabcorp accepted 854 illegal bets during 69 tennis matches, contravening the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
The company attributed the infringement to a technical glitch which persisted from its first occurrence in April until it was resolved in October. Despite the error, Tabcorp has confirmed that all affected bets were voided, ensuring no financial harm to consumers or illicit gains on its part.
ACMA’s decision to enforce the financial penalty follows previous warnings to Tabcorp regarding similar breaches. In November 2021, the company was formally warned after accepting in-play bets on a college basketball game in the United States.
Furthermore, Tabcorp has communicated to ACMA the measures it has implemented and its future plans to prevent the acceptance of illegal in-play bets. ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood emphasized the importance of stringent controls to mitigate the risks associated with rapid and frequent in-play betting, particularly its potential to increase gambling harm.
Ongoing Crackdown on Illegal Online Gambling
In a related action, ACMA has directed Australian ISPs to block access to seven additional websites found to be in violation of national gambling laws. The sites identified are MyEmpire, Pokienations, RollXO, Betsquare, Freeslotshub, PayID-Gambler.com, and FreeBitco.in.
Since November 2019, ACMA has been active in its efforts to curb illegal online gambling, resulting in the blocking of over 1,086 websites and the withdrawal of more than 220 illegal services from the Australian market.
This ongoing enforcement is part of a broader initiative to ensure compliance with the Interactive Gambling Act and protect consumers from potential gambling-related harm.
