Australian Authorities Crack Down on Unlawful Gambling Websites
The Australian administration has taken strict action against unlawful gambling websites, including the well-known cryptocurrency gambling platform Cloudbet. The government agency in charge of this, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), has instructed internet providers to restrict access to these websites. They contend that these sites are violating Australian regulations by providing online gambling services without proper authorization.
This is not the first time the ACMA has taken action against illegal gambling websites. Since 2019, they have blocked over 600 websites, and since 2017, over 180 unlawful gambling services have been forced to withdraw from the Australian market.
The recent crackdown includes a comprehensive list of websites, including Spin Oasis, Fab Spins, RB Carnival, The GoGo Room, Velvet Spin, Zenith Slots, Slots of Wins, Latinbet24, Hell Spin, Sky Crown, Blue Leo, Wolf Winner, Bizzo Casino, Wabo88 and Ozbet88.
This week, Australian media reported that the license of Star Entertainment Group, a land-based resort operator, was rescinded in New South Wales. The firm was penalized with a substantial A$100 million fine (approximately GBP 55.8 million, EUR 64.2 million, or USD 63.1 million) for failing to adhere to the state government’s standards.
Last month, Star Entertainment Group was deemed unsuitable to possess a casino license in New South Wales after a report by barrister Adam Bell revealed significant shortcomings at Star Sydney casino. The report emphasized numerous breaches of anti-money laundering regulations and a lack of social responsibility over an extended period.
These violations involved cleverly circumventing Chinese capital flight laws by falsely classifying gambling expenditures as hotel expenses on UnionPay (CUP) cards. The company also provided false information to banks regarding these payments and permitted entities potentially associated with organized crime to manage cage operations at their casino.
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