Australian gambling regulator blocks eight more illegal operators
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has ordered internet service providers to block eight more offshore gambling websites after finding they breached national law.
The regulator targeted platforms: C**tSpin, Frumzi, Great Win, MyStake, Oh My Spins, RetroBet, The Dog House 2 Slot, and Viperwin, following investigations into prohibited services offered to local users.
Authorities said the action focused on operators providing unlicensed betting, online casino-style products, and in-play wagering without approval under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
In a statement, the regulator warned that services that appeared legitimate often lacked consumer protections, leaving users with limited resources exposed to financial losses. They added that they will always ask an internet service provider to block platforms if they are found to involve serious criminal or civil offences.
More than 225 operators have since withdrawn from the Australian market since enforcement tightened in 2017, according to the regulator. Since November 2019, 1,564 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked as part of broader disruption measures.
In February, the regulator ordered the blocking of prediction market Polymarket after ruling the service constituted gambling and operated in breach of Australian licensing laws.
Charlotte Capewell brings her passion for storytelling and expertise in writing, researching, and the gambling industry to every article she writes. Her specialties include the US gambling industry, regulator legislation, igaming, and more.
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The Backstory
How Australia’s web blocking campaign gathered pace
Australia’s online gambling crackdown has been building for years, with escalating batches of site blocks and a widening scope of targets. The Australian Communications and Media Authority began asking internet providers to block illegal gambling sites in late 2019, adding disruption to a toolkit that already included investigations and warnings. In early snapshots of the campaign, the regulator emphasized consumer risk and urged players to verify licenses. For example, in a summary of an eight-site action, authorities warned that customers of JokaRoom, AUDPokies888 and others “risk losing their money” and pointed people to the agency’s register of licensed providers. That report also tallied 1,154 illegal gambling and affiliate sites blocked to date and noted about 220 services had exited the market since 2017, underscoring sustained pressure on offshore operators. See: ACMA blocks eight illegal gambling websites in Australia.
As the enforcement program matured, the cadence of blocking orders tightened. A later update detailing seven newly barred sites — Crown Gold, Maxispin Casino, Rain.gg and others — put the cumulative count at 1,338 blocks since the initial measures in November 2019 and again cited roughly 220 market withdrawals since 2017. The messaging remained consistent: unlicensed sites lack responsible gambling protections, heightening the risk of fraud and financial harm. Read: Australian media regulator blocks seven illegal online gambling sites.
By late 2024 and into 2025, the regulator’s regular updates showed an expanding target list and renewed calls for vigilance. Authorities repeatedly urged consumers to check the licensing register and report suspicious platforms, even as waves of blocks landed. One April action against Megabet Prize, TF2Royal, Casino Intense and Mega Medusa underscored that the effort is a marathon, not a sprint. The regulator noted more than 1,200 blocked since 2019 while pointing to a 2023 analysis that still pegged offshore wagering at about AU$1.1 billion. Details: Australian gambling regulator blocks four illegal gambling sites.
From casinos to in-play bets: widening the enforcement net
The core legal vehicle behind the campaign is the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which prohibits unlicensed betting services, online casino products and in-play wagering in Australia. Early blocking rounds focused on online casinos and slots sites offering classic illegals — pokies, table games and unapproved wagering. Over time, authorities broadened their attention to affiliates and skins that helped funnel traffic to offshore operators as well as social and esports-oriented platforms that tested the edges of gambling definitions.
This widening scope reflects a cat-and-mouse reality. Offshore operators frequently rebrand, spin up mirror sites or pivot into related products to maintain Australian traffic. The regulator’s use of rolling blocklists has helped disrupt access but not eliminate it, and officials continue to stress that sites “that appear legitimate” often lack recourse for customers who lose funds or face disputes. The upshot is a steady drumbeat of orders that pressure operators to withdraw while signaling to consumers that the licensing boundary matters for their wallets.
Prediction markets land in the crosshairs
In 2025, the regulator brought a new frontier into view: crypto-fueled prediction markets. Following an investigation into Polymarket, which lets users wager on elections, sports and macroeconomic events, authorities ruled that prediction markets constitute gambling under Australian law. Polymarket had argued its markets were financial products, but the regulator concluded users were not making investments as defined by law and that the activity met the definition of igaming. After that finding, Polymarket was ordered onto the national blocklist in August, and the company restricted Australian access. The episode marks a notable extension of the enforcement perimeter beyond traditional online casinos and sportsbooks. Full background: Australian regulator rules prediction markets are gambling.
The Polymarket decision also carries consequences beyond Australia’s borders. The platform’s posture that it offers a financial product has figured into debates in the United States and elsewhere over whether prediction markets should be regulated as gambling, securities or something else. Australia’s stance adds a clear data point for gambling-classification advocates and could influence how platforms design access controls and jurisdictional geofencing.
Sports promotions expose gaps during marquee events
The enforcement push has played out alongside aggressive marketing by offshore sites, particularly during tentpole sports. At the Australian Open, unlicensed operators sought to borrow legitimacy by using tournament branding and player imagery. One casino, Vegastars, dangled front-row tickets in an Instagram promotion and used the event’s logo without affiliation. Regulators confirmed Vegastars is illegal and said it would be blocked, while industry group Responsible Wagering Australia warned that such tactics can mislead fans into believing offshore platforms are permitted domestically. The incident highlighted how social media advertising and influencer tie-ins can outpace takedowns, creating whack-a-mole challenges during high-visibility moments. Coverage: Illegal gambling sites using Australian Open in recent promotions.
The Open episode sharpened calls from some consumer advocates for stronger tools such as payment blocking to complement website bans. While Australia’s approach has forced hundreds of exits and over a thousand blocks, the ease of spinning up new domains and routing around IP-based filters means demand-side levers — payments, app stores, advertising platforms — remain part of the policy conversation.
What the rising totals say about the market
The cumulative numbers tell a story of persistence on both sides. Earlier snapshots counted 1,154 blocks, rising to 1,338, and subsequent updates have pushed the figure higher as new batches land. That steady climb reflects a dual reality: enforcement continues to disrupt access and drive some operators out of the market, yet offshore supply replenishes as new brands and clones emerge. The estimated AU$1.1 billion in 2023 offshore activity underscores that illegal channels still capture meaningful share despite the blocklist’s growth. See: Australian gambling regulator blocks four illegal gambling sites and Australian media regulator blocks seven illegal online gambling sites.
The stakes are consumer protection and market integrity. Licensed operators fund harm-minimization programs, comply with identity checks and offer dispute resolution, while offshore sites can vanish with customer balances or ignore responsible betting rules. For regulators, keeping the illegal market’s share in check is a moving target that requires continued blocking, faster action on event-driven promotions and clarity on novel products like prediction markets. Together, these threads explain why the regulator’s latest batch of blocks lands with familiar urgency — and why the campaign is unlikely to slow soon.
