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ACMA issues formal warning to Curaçao-licensed operator over Australian breaches

Bluewave Interactive N.V. found to have provided prohibited gambling services to customers in Australia.

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Key Points
Formal warning issued to Bluewave under section 64A of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001
ACMA found services offered to customers physically present in Australia
The operator is not licensed in any Australian state or territory

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a formal warning to Bluewave Interactive N.V. after finding that the company provided prohibited and unlicensed interactive gambling services to customers in Australia.

The warning, issued under section 64A of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, relates to alleged contraventions of subsections 15(2A) and 15AA(3) of the Act. The regulator concluded that the operator had offered gambling services, including casino-style games and betting services, to individuals physically present in Australia without holding the required state or territory licence.

According to the findings, the service continued to operate in April 2026 via several online domains and was accessible to Australian customers. Under Australian law, a gambling service is deemed to have an Australian customer link if any of its customers are physically located in Australia.

Bluewave Interactive N.V., registered in Curaçao and operating Slott.com, is licensed by the Curaçao Gaming Authority. However, the company does not hold a licence issued under Australian state or territory law to provide regulated interactive gambling services to Australians.

The regulator determined that, by offering both casino-style games and in-play betting services over the internet as part of a business operation, the company breached Australian gambling legislation.

Formal warnings are part of the ACMA’s broader enforcement framework and may be followed by further regulatory action if non-compliance continues. The authority has stepped up efforts in recent years to target offshore gambling operators that make services available to Australian customers without proper authorisation.

Good to know

Bluewave Interactive N.V. is licensed in Curaçao under OGL/2024/1161/0454 but does not hold an Australian gambling licence

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