Content Writer: Janice Chew • Friday, 25/10/2025 - 17:03:08 - PM
Australia’s media and communications regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), announced that it has stepped up enforcement of interactive gambling safeguards in its 2024–25 compliance report. The report highlights that, beyond education and compliance outreach, the agency has launched 10 new investigations, closed another 10, and intensified its monitoring of operators’ adherence to rules around the National Self-Exclusion Register (NSER), banned payment methods, and blocking illegal offshore gambling sites.
One major focus has been the enforcement of credit card and digital currency bans on online wagering. ACMA says compliance among licensed operators has been “very high,” signaling industry adaptation to stricter financial controls. In parallel, ACMA has engaged with 63 software and game providers whose content surfaced on illegal websites. Of these, 27 committed to compliance and removed content from restricted jurisdictions, while 7 proactively geo-blocked their games after correspondence.
To shut down unlicensed gambling platforms, the authority has also expanded its website-blocking capabilities and adopted a more targeted approach toward the most harmful sites attempting to evade regulation. Earlier in 2025, ACMA ordered ISPs to block several illegal gambling websites in compliance with the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, underlining its willingness to use hard measures against offshore operators.
These developments reflect a shift in Australia’s regulatory posture: from encouraging compliance through guidance, toward more active enforcement and control. Industry players, software developers, and even marketing intermediaries are now under sharper scrutiny. As the regulatory backdrop strengthens, operators will need to stay vigilant to maintain both compliance and market access.