Australia's ACMA Blocks 2 Sites: Cloudbet + Las Atlantis Casino

The Australian Communications and Media Authority, also known as the ACMA, has been steadily cracking down on offshore operators that offer gambling to Australians. On Oct. 19, 2022, the ACMA blocked additional gambling sites, including Cloudbet and Las Atlantis Casino. The ACMA does this by requesting that Australian Internet Service Providers, or ISPs, block citizens' access to specific sites.

The ACMA claims that these gambling sites are unlicensed and therefore dangerous, but the reality is that the ACMA's enforcement measures may be causing more harm than good. Under the terms of the Interactive Gambling Act, the ACMA is the agency tasked with enforcing Australia's anti-online gambling laws.

What is the Interactive Gambling Act?

The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 is the Australian governmental legislation involving gambling. Back in 2017, the Gambling Act was amended, thereby tightening restrictions for online gambling sites. The amendment made it so internet casinos would be required to obtain a license prior to serving Australian customers.

The issue here is that there is no possible way for offshore casinos to obtain a license, and there are no licensed operators in Australia offering online gambling, besides a number of sportsbooks. Without a legal path to obtaining licensure, it is essentially impossible for an offshore site to operate within the ACMA's rules.

With the ACMA essentially taking a hard stance against online casinos, it can be a bit difficult for Australians who simply wish to gamble from the comfort of their own homes. This kind of enforcement seems unnecessary and potentially damaging.

Which Sites Were Blocked?

In this instance, the ACMA only named two sites that were blocked. Their wording insinuates that other sites may have been blocked as well, but we can only confidently assert that the ACMA has requested that ISPs block both Cloudbet and Las Atlantis Casino.

Cloudbet and Las Atlantis Casino are both fairly popular online gambling operators with solid reputations in the industry. Both Cloudbet and Last Atlantis have been offering gaming to Australian players for many years.

About Cloudbet

Cloudbet is a crypto-only online casino that has been in business since 2013. Cloudbet offers a wide range of betting options and unique features including some of the largest bonuses in the industry.

By late November of 2013, Cloudbet began offering instant cashouts, a feat it claims was the first in the industry. Cloudbet also gained popularity over the years for its modern and exciting design. The site looks excellent and operates smoothly.

A Portion of the Cloudbet Gambling Site

Cloudbet quickly engrained itself among the online crypto-gaming community by posting a thread on the popular forum BitcoinTalk.org shortly after opening for business. This allowed Cloudbet to address player concerns as they arose as well as communicate with the community on an ongoing basis.

Cloudbet currently offers a wide range of casino games as well as an extensive sportsbook, which includes a separate eSportsbook. Cloudbet originally only accepted Bitcoin, but it now accepts many other cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin Cash, Tether, and Ethereum.

Popular Casino Games at Cloudbet

About Las Atlantis Casino

Las Atlantis Casino is a popular online casino that is a sister site to the El Royale and Red Dog casino brands. Las Atlantis primarily serves American and Australian players, although it does serve a few other geographical areas as well. Numerous casino games are available to enjoy including slots, video poker, table games, and specialty games.

The About Us Section on the Las Atlantis Casino Website

Las Atlantis has maintained a generally positive reputation within the online gambling industry by offering fair games, generous promotions, and reasonably fast cashouts. Another reason for Las Atlantis' success is due to offering games designed by Realtime Gaming, or RTG. RTG has been a staple in the online gaming industry for years as it has created numerous excellent slot games like Trigger Happy as well as a number of table games and video poker options.

Popular Games at Las Atlantis Casino

Recent Enforcement Actions by the ACMA

The ACMA first began asking ISPs to block access to gambling sites back in 2019, so this specific type of enforcement is nothing new. The ACMA has also drafted threatening letters and blocked access to affiliate marketing sites as a part of its efforts.

Earlier this year, the ACMA sent an official warning letter to a provider of casino games called Proxous. The ACMA ordered Proxous to stop supplying casino games like slots to any online casinos serving Australian players. Back in September, another 15 sites were added to the ACMA's blacklist. Only one month prior, another six sites were blocked, and in this instance, two of the blocked sites operate as marketing affiliates.

Unfortunately, there are endless examples of the ACMA attempting to thwart online gambling operators. A total of 619 gambling and affiliate marketing sites have been added to the ACMA's blacklist and it doesn't appear that the ACMA intends on slowing down any time soon.

Are the AMCA's Actions Beneficial to Players?

Although the ACMA claims that it is enforcing Australian law and looking out for its citizens, we have a few concerns. Many of the sites that the ACMA has blocked are highly reputable operators like Ignition Poker. Adding reputable sites like Ignition to the blacklist only confuses consumers and can potentially result in players being diverted to sketchier, shadier sites.

Additionally, there are multiple ways of circumventing these ISP blocks like altering the DNS settings of your device or using a Virtual Private Network. We believe that players who wish to gamble online should be able to do so and these enforcement actions only serve to create confusion and difficulties in practice.

You Can Still Play Safely in Australia

The ACMA's enforcement measures have created a bit of a complex situation when it comes to gambling online. Luckily, there are still many reputable gambling operators catering to Australians. The options in Australia are a bit limited in comparison to other areas, but plenty of safe and enjoyable options still exist if you wish to gamble online.

For poker players who are looking for Australian online poker options, we encourage you to peruse this exhaustive Australian guide to playing online poker.

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