for early access to the latest igaming videos!
and get the latest igaming news first!
The Australian Open is still in full swing, but regulators are already dealing with an ugly side effect of a major global sporting event: offshore gambling sites using the tournament’s name and logo to pull Australians into illegal platforms.
One unlicensed e-casino, Vegastars, pushed an Instagram giveaway that promised front-row tickets to a night session at Rod Laver Arena and a $500 flight voucher. The post used the Australian Open logo even though the promotion had no official link to the tournament, and Australians were among the roughly 2,500 accounts that commented on it.
“Enforcement is lagging behind the reality”
Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA), which represents major licensed operators including Sportsbet, bet365, Betfair, PointsBet and Unibet, says these promos risk convincing people that offshore sites are lawful and regulated in Australia.
“The fact this is happening openly during Australia’s biggest sporting events shows how far enforcement is lagging behind the reality of offshore gambling,” RWA chief executive Kai Cantwell said.
Guardian Australia also found multiple other unlicensed sites using Australian Open imagery, including tournament logos and photos of tennis stars, plus a wider batch of Australian Open-themed offers being marketed online.
ACMA moves to block sites, and expands its investigation
In the Vegastars case, an ACMA spokesperson told reports the regulator had determined the site was illegal and would ask for it to be blocked, while also investigating other companies identified in the reporting.
ACMA’s broader enforcement program has leaned heavily on blocking. In a 2024 update, the regulator said that since its first blocking request in November 2019, 1,086 illegal gambling and affiliate websites had been blocked, and more than 220 illegal services had pulled out of the Australian market since stronger offshore enforcement began in 2017.
The agency’s warning is blunt: illegal sites can look legitimate, but users are unlikely to have basic consumer protections and may simply lose their money.
Influencers are part of the problem, too
ACMA is also dealing with promotion that comes through creators rather than casino accounts.
Another flashpoint is influencer-driven promotion. One offshore operator, Rainbet, appeared in an Instagram video from Australian influencer Jon Redman promoting live in-play betting, and the clip drew more than 40,000 views.
ACMA said it was investigating Redman’s conduct and had contacted Meta over the video; the post came down two days after media inquiries, and Redman didn’t respond to questions.
The “whack-a-mole” issue, and the push for payment blocking
Website blocks can slow illegal traffic, but critics argue they do not solve the underlying problem because operators can switch domains quickly.
Consumer advocate Lauren Levin told Guardian Australia the offshore problem could be cut down more effectively by blocking payments to and from unlicensed gambling providers, pointing to approaches used overseas and calling it more effective than chasing new URLs as they pop up.
Source: The Guardian
