ACMA Blocks 12 More “Illegal” Gambling Sites: Blacklist Grows!
On Feb. 15, 2024, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced that it had blocked another bunch of supposedly illegal gambling websites catering to Australians.
In this instance, the ACMA asked Australian internet service providers to block twelve more online gambling sites.
The ACMA Enforces the Gambling Regulations
The ACMA is the primary regulatory body within Australia that controls media, including online gambling, television, radio, and other mediums.
When it comes to gambling, the ACMA primarily focuses on what it claims to be safe gambling measures to prevent so-called illegal and unapproved operators from catering to Australian consumers.
The ACMA regulates internet gambling and other media in AustraliaThe Interactive Gaming Act 2001 was amended back in 2017 to further restrict online gambling. As a result, it is illegal for any online casino provider located outside of Australia to offer services to Australian citizens.
Twelve Sites Have Been Blocked
As a result of this most recent action by the ACMA, a total of twelve online gambling websites have been blocked by Australian internet service providers. The twelve websites that have been blocked are:
- Wazamba
- Playzilla
- Slots Palace
- Nomini
- Casinia
- Fez Bet
- SG Casino
- Spin Better
- Clash.gg
- Golden Bet
- Zet Casino
- Buran Casino
Most of these blocked sites operate in a very similar manner. If we examine one of the more popular sites listed, Wazamba Casino, we can get a feel for what these sites have to offer.
Wazamba casino website is available to AustraliansAs you can see, Wazamba Casino boasts an extensive selection of casino games, like slots, table games, and specialty games. The vast majority of the hundreds of blocked websites operate in this exact same manner. They are online casinos offering digital games of chance.
Sites Join Extensive Blacklist
Since the ACMA first began this type of enforcement in November 2019, 926 supposedly illegal gambling sites and marketing affiliate websites have been blocked and have been added to the blacklist. The ACMA directs Australian ISPs to deny the country's residents access to the proscribed URLs.
A portion of the recent news release from the ACMA websiteAs the ACMA alluded to in the snippet photographed above, many sites also withdrew preemptively. At least 220 online gambling sites have abandoned from the Australian market entirely.
The ACMA Continues Blocking Sites
Unfortunately for consumers, this type of enforcement action is not new. The ACMA has been repeatedly blocking sites over the past few years. In December of 2023, the ACMA blocked eleven sites. Back in September of 2023, the ACMA blocked ViperSpin Casino and a few other sites.
In June 2023, the ACMA blocked a dozen casino websites.
Although the ACMA claims that these efforts are to help Australian citizens stay safe, the ACMA's efforts are mostly unsuccessful. Australians can circumvent these bans by adjusting their DNS settings. Additionally, the gambling sites can create new URLs to bypass the original URL being blocked. In fact, of the nearly 1,000 sites the ACMA claims to have blocked, many of these sites have multiple blocked URLs and continue operation with new, unblocked domains.
Online Gambling is Still Available in Australia
Although the ACMA's stringent regulation creates confusion and difficulties for Australian consumers, safe online poker and casino gambling are still present in Australia.
Ignition is one of the premier online poker and casino websites that caters to Australian customers. Ignition offers a full array of casino games and an exceptional poker room. New signups will receive a 150% signup bonus worth up to $3,000 through the signup link provided below.
If you wish to find out more about Ignition, feel free to check out this detailed Ignition Casino review. If you'd like to learn more about other reputable online casinos catering to Australians, you may wish to peruse this guide regarding the best online casinos for Australians.
Poker players also have plenty of options in Australia Feel free to check out this thorough Australian online poker guide to learn more about the most reliable and trustworthy online poker sites available to Australians.