Lottoland to challenge new Australian ban in Supreme Court
Operator to challenge latest ACMA opinion on its jackpot betting product
Lottoland has launched a legal challenge against the Australian government after the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) ruled this week that Lottoland’s new jackpot betting product violated Australian gambling laws.
The ACMA released a statement today which said the jackpot betting product was in breach of the Australian Interactive Gambling Act, although it did not specify why.
It is thought the regulator sees the product as too similar to lottery betting, which was banned last year.
Following the ban on traditional lottery betting products, Lottoland launched the new product, which uses numbers from the financial markets as the basis of draws. Lottoland said today it will challenge the new ruling in the Australian Supreme Court.
“Lottoland’s Jackpot Betting products have been approved by the relevant licensing authorities, and we believe they are fully compliant with Australian law,” said Lottoland CEO Luke Brill.
“We have worked hard to adapt to recent changes to the law, and we are committed to providing exciting new products that our customers love.
“By taking this stand against [the] ACMA, we are fighting for the rights of hundreds of thousands of Australians who enjoy the occasional flutter. We are fighting for freedom of choice.”
In a statement provided to EGR, Brill added: “Enough is enough. We have always played by the rules and inside the law and our rivals have hidden behind unions to do their bidding we are now going to court to get a truly independent opinion on our new product.”
Lottoland has argued previously that lobbying from Tatts and Tabcorp had pressured lawmakers and unions into banning its products, most notably in its “Lottoland’s Gotta Go” advertising campaign.