ACMA issues warning to illicit operator

Content Team October 13, 2023

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a formal warning to the operator, Best Bookies, for offering unlicensed wagering products.

Best Bookies is most often used as a service that allows customers to compare betting odds across only, licensed betting platform operators in Australia.

This activity is perfectly legal within Australia’s current gambling regulations, however, Best Bookies was found to have placed bets on behalf of its customers.

This action constitutes a gambling service under Australia’s Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) 2001.

Operating without a licence

In a statement released by the ACMA, the regulator explains that Best Bookies did in fact secure authorisation from the relevant state-based regulator to offer the product in question.

However, this authorisation was not sufficient for the scale and nature of Bets Bookies’ activities. The product in question has been deemed to constitute gambling under the IGA and thus requires a wagering licence in order for Best Bookies to operate legally.

In the ACMA communication it states:

“These types of services must not be provided to customers physically present in Australia if the provider of the service does not hold a licensee (however described) under a law of a State or Territory that authorizes the provision of that kind of service in the State or Territory.”

Following this warning, Best Bookies did indeed cease offering the illicit service in question.

The ACMA

This case comes in lieu of the on-going efforts of teh ACMA to combat illegal gambling in Australia.

This has already included ordering internet services to block sites that are in breach of gambling legislation.

As part of these efforts the ACMA has also administered recent bans to numerous websites including Viperspin, Just Casino, Betandplay, Play Fina, and Comic Play Casino for operating in violation of the IGA.

In addition, the ACMA has also sought collaboration with Curaçao’s gambling regulator to combat offshore operators targeting the Australian gaming market.

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