No Penalty For Bookmaker That Targeted Problem Gamblers
An online bookie that sent hundreds of marketing messages to people on the self-exclusion register has avoided a punitive damages, but has actually paid a $500,000 fine for sending out spam to clients.
PointsBet contravened laws relating to BetStop - the nationwide self-exclusion register, by postponing closing accounts of customers who had actually signed up and sending marketing messages to self-excluded individuals.
It also sent more than 800 messages that breached Australia's e-marketing laws, an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority found.
More unlawful online gaming sites have been obstructed following ACMA examinations. Illegal gambling services are unlikely to have consumer securities and users risk losing their cash. View details about obstructed websites at
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- ACMA (@acmadotgov) May 14, 2025
ACMA stated a financial charge was "not readily available" for the NSER breaches due to the "complex and novel matters examined" and PoinstBet would rather undergo "comprehensive court-enforceable endeavors".
"A failure to abide by an enforceable endeavor can cause court-ordered punitive damages," ACMA said in a statement.
The examination discovered PointsBet sent 508 marketing messages to self-excluded people in August and September 2023.
By law, people registered with the NSER should not be sent marketing materials from a certified betting service.
There were "no reasons" for gambling business that stop working to comprehend their legal commitments offered the threats to people experiencing gambling damages, ACMA Chair Nerida O'Loughlin said.
"It is deeply worrying that these failures have actually impacted PointsBet's consumers, a few of whom had actually taken proactive actions to exclude themselves from online wagering," she said.
People up to the NSER were taking favorable actions and and their decision "should not be jeopardized by companies like PointsBet", Ms O'Loughlin stated
ACMA found that no omitted consumers were able to place bets with PointsBet during the duration investigated.
The undertakings commit PointsBet to reviews of its compliance with spam and NSER laws, actioning any recommended improvements and offering routine training for all relevant staff.
"This action must function as an alerting to all betting service providers that they need to meet their legal commitments or face the consequences," Ms O'Loughlin stated.
PointsBet was fined $500,800 for 705 e-mails sent in 2023 which contained a direct link to its betting items without consisting of an "unsubscribe" function.
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