The two sites will be the first blocked following the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s investigations that found they offer online casino-style games which are prohibited under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
As reported by iTWire earlier this month, the the ISPs were given the green light to block offshore gambling sites under tough new powers mandated for the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) by the Federal Government.
ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said the investigations of the sites to be blocked were launched following a number of complaints.
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“They’re happy to take your money when you lose, but people have reported to us that they refuse to pay out winnings.
“If you have funds deposited with these—or any other an illegal offshore gambling site—you should withdraw those funds now.”
ACMA has a range of enforcement and disruption options available to protect Australians against illegal gambling.
“Enforcing Australian laws against offshore companies is challenging. There is no single measure that will be successful in every case,” O’Loughlin said.
“Blocking access to websites sends a strong message that the ACMA can and will take action to stop illegal operators from targeting vulnerable Australians.”
The ACMA says more than 65 illegal companies have pulled out of the Australian market since 2017 when the it started enforcing new illegal offshore gambling rules.
The ACMA publishes a Register of licensed interactive wagering services so that consumers can be sure services are legal in Australia, and information about how consumers can protect themselves from illegal gambling operators is available on the ACMA website.