Australia Bans Casino Belle over Illegal Gambling
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has taken action against a gambling website operating without a license in its jurisdiction.
The move is part of ACMA's ongoing efforts to combat unauthorized online gaming in Australia. (Source: Beasternchen, Pixabay).
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Casino Belle has been blocked in Australia after it was found to be offering unauthorized online gambling services to players in the country.
According to ACMA, the website accepted bets from Australian players on prohibited internet games like slots and live casino games, breaching the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. As a result, the authority has directed internet service providers to block access to Casino Belle's website.
This move is part of ACMA's ongoing efforts to protect Australians from unauthorized online gaming services. Blocking is one of the strategic enforcement measures the ACMA adopts to achieve this aim. Since its first blocking request was initiated in November 2019, nearly 1,033 illegal and affiliate websites have been blocked.
Furthermore, the ACMA's stringent enforcement of offshore gambling regulations, introduced in 2017, has led to the voluntary withdrawal of more than 220 illegal gaming services from the Australian market.
Some other recently blocked websites include Casino Australia Online, Pokies.bet, Pokiesman, and Smart Pokies. The authority flagged Richard Casino and Wanted Win in July, while A Big Candy, Jackpoty, and John Vegas Casino faced similar enforcement action in June.
ACMA Holds Streaming Platforms Accountable
Beyond B2C operators, the ACMA's regulatory scope extends to broadcasters and streamers. Last month, the authority formally warned 10 Play, a streaming platform for violating gambling advertising regulations during daytime sports streams.
In June, the ACMA also cautioned Kayo, Hubbl's sports streaming service, for broadcasting 16 gambling ads outside the authorized time frames across 267 live sports events.
More Regulation News
Australia’s Gambling Ads Debate
The issue of gambling advertising is currently contentious in Australia, sparking heated debates among lawmakers, health experts, and industry stakeholders. The question at the forefront of the discussion is whether the government should implement a blanket ban on gambling advertisements.
On one side, former politicians and responsible gambling advocates are urging the government to prohibit gambling ads entirely. Conversely, industry representatives and some lawmakers caution against a blanket ban, citing concerns about the potential economic impact on the gaming sector.
However, the government's recent stance has shown that it is not interested in banning gambling ads totally. Instead, it plans to implement targeted regulations to mitigate the potential harm of these ads, particularly to children and vulnerable individuals.
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