Entain has paid an infringement notice of AU$13,320 (US$8,771) in Australia after it was issued with the maximum fine possible – following the news that two of its brands accepted illegal bets.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) issued the punitive sum after it discovered that Ladbrokes and Neds had accepted the bets during the last day of the Bangkok LIV Golf Tournament in October last year.
It was Entain that reported the infringement to the ACMA, noting that an error in start time meant that 59 bets had been accepted by Ladbrokes and 19 by Neds after the event had begun.
All bets were voided following the discovery and Entain also told the ACMA that it had reviewed its systems so that the error could not happen again.
ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said online in-play betting laws are in place to protect vulnerable people.
“Online in-play betting increases the risk for those experiencing gambling harm as it provides fast outcomes and allows for higher frequency of bets.
“Entain is a highly experienced wagering operator, and it is disappointing it did not have internal procedures in place to prevent or detect the error.
“The ACMA made it clear to the industry last year that they must have robust systems in place to ensure that online in-play bets are not made available or accepted.”
Last Year, Entain reached a £17m (US$21.8m) settlement agreement with the Gambling Commission in the UK after being found guilty of multiple regulatory failures.
