ACMA issues several formal warning to offshore gambling operators
The warnings are regarding operators offering unlicensed online casino and betting services.
Australia's communications regulator has issued a series of formal warnings to offshore gambling operators found to be illegally targeting Australian customers in an effort to tighten control on unlicensed interactive gambling services.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) took enforcement action against multiple companies operating casino and betting platforms without proper Australian state or territory licensing, confirming violations of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The warnings, issued throughout September but made public through October, targeted operators based in jurisdictions including Curaçao, the Netherlands, and the Comoros Islands.
Among those sanctioned was Hollycorn N.V., the provider behind Crown Gold casino, which ACMA found had been offering prohibited interactive gambling services with casino-style games to customers physically present in Australia. The regulator's investigation concluded that the operator violated subsection 15(2A) of the Interactive Gambling Act by providing these services through an internet carriage service to Australian customers.
NovaForge Ltd faced scrutiny for not one but two services, Playzilla and Spins of Glory. The company was found to have contravened multiple provisions of the Act, including offering both casino-style games and in-play betting services without holding the necessary Australian licensing.
LBC Enterprises, which operates LuckyBet, similarly received a formal warning for providing unlicensed casino games and betting services, including prohibited in-play betting options.
Ridley Media, the entity behind Joe Fortune, and Stellar Ltd, operating Malina Casino from the Union of Comoros, were also featured among the operators sanctioned for offering illegal gambling services to Australian customers without appropriate state or territory authorisation.
The enforcement actions underscore ACMA's intensified approach to combating offshore gambling operators who target Australian consumers whilst operating beyond the country's regulatory framework.
Under the Interactive Gambling Act, providers must hold valid state or territory licences to offer regulated interactive gambling services to Australians, and prohibited services such as online casino games remain off-limits regardless of licensing status.
These formal warnings serve as official notice that the regulator expects immediate compliance, with the clear implication that continued breaches could trigger more severe penalties.
https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news/31778/acma-issues-several-formal-warning-to-offshore-gambling-operators