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ACMA blocks another six offshore gambling and affiliate marketing websites

| By Robert Fletcher
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has requested the blocking of a further six offshore gambling and affiliate marketing websites it said have been operating in the country illegally.

Casino Moons, Winnerama, Extra Vegas, Win Paradise, LegitGamblingSites.com and Gamblers Lab were all investigated by the ACMA and found to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.

As such, the ACMA contacted internet service providers (ISPs) in the country and requested that the sites be blocked in Australia. 

Since the ACMA made its first blocking request in November 2019, some 568 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked.

Over 170 illegal services have also pulled out of the Australian market since the ACMA started enforcing new illegal offshore gambling rules in 2017.

“The ACMA is reminding consumers that even if a service looks legitimate, it’s unlikely to have important customer protections,” the ACMA said. “This means Australians who use illegal gambling services risk losing their money.”

The latest round of blocking requests comes after the ACMA earlier this month issued its first formal warning to a supplier, after it found Proxous Advanced Solutions breached laws by providing gaming software to 13 illegal online casinos.

An investigation by the ACMA found that by sublicensing Realtime Gaming (RTG)-branded software products used by the casinos, Proxous was knowingly involved in the provision of prohibited interactive gambling services to Australians, thus placing it in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.

The illegal casino brands deemed to have been operating illegally included 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.

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