Unibet has been hit with a AU$60,000 (US$39,470) fine plus costs after it offered New South Wales (NSW) residents illegal gambling incentives.

An investigation by the Liquor & Gaming NSW into the offers by Unibet found that it had offered illegal price push incentives and special odds.

In a Sydney court, Betchoice (the parent brand of Unibet) was found guilty of the charges, which were defined under the NSW Betting and Racing Act – with the law stating that ‘it is an offence to publish a gambling advertisement that includes any inducement to participate, or participate frequently, in any gambling activity (including an inducement to open a betting account).’

Liquor & Gaming NSW Executive Director of Regulatory Operations & Enforcement, Jane Lin, said of the punitive action: “Betting operators have an obligation to ensure that all advertising complies with NSW laws on gambling advertising.

“Inducements are known to increase the risk of gambling harm, so any breaches are taken seriously.

“Betchoice has a record of previous convictions and was fined $48,000 in July 2021 for breaches of betting legislation. The advertisements the subject of this most recent case were designed to entice people to engage with gambling products using special or enhanced odds, which is a breach of the legislation.”

The news comes weeks after Unibet revealed it would launch a new user experience in the metaverse, the virtual platform that enables people to interact with a digital environment.