In an effort to curb gambling harm, authorities launched investigations into illegal offshore wagering providers targeting Australians during the FIFA Women’s World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20th to August 20th, 2023.
During the competition, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) reviewed over 200 offshore wagering services suspected of offering bets on sporting events, including the Women’s World Cup, without proper licensing.
The identification of these services was based on complaints, intelligence from stakeholders, and online monitoring.
‘We found that the majority of these services also provided casino style games and/or online in-play betting, both of which are prohibited under the Interactive Gambling Act. These services cannot be licensed in Australia,’ notes the ACMA.
According to a recently published report, of the 21 services investigated, 86 percent were found to be in violation of interactive gambling rules, with most offering prohibited casino-style games and online in-play betting.
Following preliminary findings, three services restricted access to Australian users, while formal warnings were issued to the remaining 15. ISPs were also called upon to block access to their websites for continued non-compliance.
