Regulatory crackdown in New South Wales

Gambling operator Bet Right (IRPSX PTY Ltd) has been fined AU$20, 000 by Liquor & Gaming New South Wales (NSW) for breaching the state’s advertising regulations.

Bet Right was found by a regulatory investigation to have offered boosted odds to NSW consumers, which is a violation of the Betting and Racing Act that prohibits gambling inducement thus forcing the Sydney Downing Centre Local Court to issue the penalty fine to the operator. 

Despite this, Bet Right was found not guilty on 3 other charges that remain undisclosed. 

Liquor & Gaming NSW stated that it had provided guidance and engaged bookmakers with advice towards their compliance obligations with the regulator’s executive director of regulatory operations, Jane Lin re-iterating:

“There is simply no excuse for wagering companies to advertise inducements. They can be assured that the risk of being caught and prosecuted is extremely high.”

Advertising infringements exponential

Liquor & Gaming NSW began issuing fines for gambling-related advertising infringements in 2016 and since then the fines have amounted to $1.1 million. 

Peculiarly, the operators that have been prosecuted have been issued penalty fines only amounting to $830, 000, the additional $270,000 were issued as penalty infringement notices. 

Most notably the gaming operator, Betr, has been hit with 14 of these notices and has received penalties as a result amounting to a record $210,000 in April this year alone.

SportsChamps were also fined $40,000 along with $14,000 in costs for a different breach of NSW gaming laws, yet another operator that had received multiple fines just this year.

There also seems to be no end in sight for NSW operators as the regulator stressed:

“We will continue to monitor television, print and social media for this illegal advertising and advocate for the courts to issue higher penalties.”

Gaming reform pushes forth

These fines have come in lieu of a regulatory movement in NSW to continue a major gaming reform.

An independent panel has been established to oversee this process, meeting for the first time this week, the first item on the agenda was a cashless trial applicable to electric gaming machines (EGMs). 

Further measures will also include a ban on external signage for gaming rooms set for a September 1st enactment, a lowering of poker machine entitlement caps in the region of $3,000 and the passage of new legislation that prevents political donations from clubs with poker machines across NSW.

SiGMA Balkans/CIS

As a globally recognised nexus for networking, SiGMA Group sets its sights next to the Balkans this September, when the SIGMA Balkans/CIS Summit heads to Limassol Cyprus.

A host of networking opportunities and industry-leading knowledge will be emanating from the much-anticipated event which will pack panel discussions, keynote speeches, start-up pitches and much more into 3 days in the diverse Cypriot city.