Australia’s Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has officially warned supplier Proxous Advanced Solutions in a first for the regulator.
The ACMA said 13 online casinos, who illegally offered their services to Australians, were found to have used the supplier’s Realtime Gaming (RTG) branded software products.
According to the watchdog, Proxous knowingly sub-licensed these to said casinos, in breach of Australia’s 2001 Interactive Gambling Act.
Prior ACMA investigations discovered that each operator in question had illegally offered services to Australian customers.
The operators are: Fair Go Casino, Two Up Casino, Free Spin, BoVegas, Uptown Pokies, Uptown Aces, Red Dog Casino, Slots Empire, Cherry Gold Casino, Play Croco, Aussie Play, Ozwin Casino and Reels Of Joy.
These operators, the regulator continued, relied on the supplier’s software to deliver their “online casino-style services.” The ACMA said it has taken action to block these operators.
“Since the ACMA started enforcing new illegal offshore gambling rules in 2017, more than 170 of these services have pulled out of the Australian market,” it said.
“Consumers should be aware that even if an online gambling service looks legitimate, it is unlikely to have important customer protections required of licensed services.”
More importantly, this action marks a first for the ACMA. It has never before issued a formal warning against a company for its “involvement in an illegal gambling operation through supplying software.”
This comes after the ACMA unveiled plans for a new self-exclusion register, to be named BetStop. This will allow gamblers to self-exclude from all licensed online wagering services for at least three months.
