In Australia, gambling regulators are continuing their fight against illegal operators. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has requested that the internet service providers of the country block more unlicensed online offshore gambling websites.
Earlier this month, the request was made by the ACMA to block ten additional domains. Customers of these sites were urged to remove their funds as the blockage would have immediate effect. The sites included in the new block are:
- BoVegas
- Cherry Gold Casino
- Grand Fortune Casino
- Free Spin
- Raging Bull Casino
- Red Dog Casino
- Slots Empire
- True Blue Casino
- Two Up Casino
- Wild Joker
The Authority received more than 30 complaints about the services and how they are accessible in Australia. An investigation by the ACMA revealed that the sites were in violation of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
The Interactive Gambling Act was created by the Australian Commonwealth Parliament and targets online operators. It is an offense for operators to offer real money online gambling to residents of Australia.
In 2019, internet service providers began overseeing Australian’s access to gambling websites. With more people logging online now than ever, the ACMA is taking a tougher stance against illegal operators.
As COVID-19 began to enter the country, casinos and gambling centers were closed. The lockdown resulted in no entertainment for residents and those who like to gamble turned to online sites. It appears the online gambling activity in the country has increase by around 67% over the past few weeks.
According to Google Trends data, searches in Australia online have resulted in an increase of residents looking for ‘online poker’ and ‘online casinos Australia’. With the lockdown continuing, the ACMA may have their hands full trying to shut down operators as players look for online solutions to access real money gaming int eh country.
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