Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) has stepped up efforts to tackle unregulated online gambling by advocating for a dedicated blacklist of offshore operators that offer real-money betting services to Australian players without proper licensing.
RWA CEO Kai Cantwell the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) current powers to block illegal gambling URLs are not sufficient, despite more than 1,500 sites having been shut down in recent years.y.
RWA’s proposal calls for a regulatory mechanism that would identify and restrict access to offshore gambling sites, enabling internet service providers, banking institutions and payment processors to block or disconnect services linked to operators outside Australia’s licensing framework.
ACMA’s URL directives help ISPs, but illegal websites evade with new domains and social channels. The blacklist will mirror the powers of the Electronic Safety Commissioner over other illegal content, forcing platforms to ban marketing linked to offshore operators. Banks and payment processors will also halt transactions, starving the shadow market.
Cantwell pointed out the sophisticated tactics that allow offshore providers to hit Australians faster than regulators can respond. The organization argues that such a blacklist would help steer players toward regulated operators that are subject to local rules on harm minimization, age verification and advertising standards. Australian oversight. market as digital betting continues to expand.
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