Australia’s communications regulator has stepped up enforcement against illegal online gambling, blocking 133 websites and issuing 10 formal warnings during the final quarter of 2025.
According to its latest quarterly update, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) received 483 enquiries and complaints relating to interactive gambling between October and December. Of these, 420 were deemed valid and fell within the scope of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA).
Complaint volumes increased across the quarter, with 146 enquiries and complaints recorded in October, 169 in November and 168 in December. ACMA said the data reflects continued consumer exposure to offshore gambling services targeting Australian users without authorisation.
During the same period, the regulator completed 23 investigations covering 45 gambling websites. Each investigation identified at least one breach of the IGA, resulting in a total of 69 findings.
These included 38 instances of prohibited interactive gambling services being offered to Australian customers, 26 cases involving unlicensed regulated gambling services and five breaches linked to advertising illegal gambling offerings.
As part of its enforcement response, ACMA issued 10 formal warnings to offshore operators, including Dama NV, NovaForge and Stellar, for operating casino-style and betting services without Australian licences. Several warnings related to multiple branded websites run by the same operators.
ACMA also continued its website blocking programme, referring 133 URLs to Australian internet service providers for blocking. The regulator said many of the blocked sites were alternative or mirror domains created to evade earlier restrictions.
In addition, the same 133 URLs were reported to accredited family-friendly filter providers to limit access through parental control systems.
The majority of the blocked services offered online casino-style games such as slots, blackjack and roulette, with some also providing wagering products without approval. Under Australian law, it is an offence to offer or advertise these services to customers located in the country.
Earlier in January, ACMA issued formal warnings to three offshore operators following investigations into unlicensed services offered via Rocketspin, Rooster Bet, Vegas Now and CrownPlay, reinforcing the regulator’s ongoing focus on offshore enforcement.
Industry research has estimated that Australian consumers lose nearly AU$4bn ($2.6bn) annually to illegal offshore gambling, with losses projected to rise sharply if access to unlicensed services is not curtailed
