ACMA clamps down on illegal online lottery services
We Love Lotto and Red Fox Lotto – the first lottery sites to be blocked by the Australian Communications and Media Authority
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has urged Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block illegal offshore lottery websites We Love Lotto and Red Fox Lotto.
The move came after the regulator discovered that the two lottery websites were offering tickets in major overseas online lotteries and are unlicensed in Australia, flouting the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
“We Love Lotto and Red Fox Lotto are both operating illegally in Australia, meaning there are no consumer safeguards in place for players,” Fiona Cameron, authority member, said.
Cameron further stated: “Blocking illegal offshore sites protects Australians from potentially dodgy operators, where there is little or no recourse if things go wrong. Lottery services that are licensed in Australia and operating legally have important safeguards that consumers expect.”
This is the first instance when lottery services were blocked, although the ACMA has been requesting ISPs to block illegal casino-style gambling sites since November 2019.
Meanwhile, according to a report published today, the ACMA targeted 55 services for site blocking, resulting in a majority experiencing a drop in Australian visitors of at least 90%.