Australians are some of the most prolific gamblers on the planet, but the Land Down Under is still a heavily regulated gaming market. That’s a lesson that Tabcorp, an Australian operator, is learning the hard way.
Earlier this week, Magistrate Susan McIntyre of New South Wales (NSW), handed down a fine of $16,500 and a $100,000 (AUD) in legal fines ($88,919 USD) to the company for illegal advertising.
The illegal advertising in question involved a series of ads that appeared in the Daily Telegraph and on Tabcorp’s own website. (Once again proving the value of technologies like geolocation.)
While the ads included pretty standard fare for online casinos and sportsbooks, bonus offers and such, they were definitely illegal in NSW. NSW is something of a hotbed of anti-gambling activism in Australia. Gambling advertisements that include enticements to gamble, such as bonus offers and other standard gaming industry promotions.
In her ruling, Magistrate McIntyre made it clear that she wouldn’t be granting any leeway in cases involving gambling operators. Her ruling stated that each of Tabcorp’s ads were “crystal clear” violations of the law. According to a report in the Australian, McIntyre was intent on sending a message that NSW would protect problem gamblers from these sorts of advertisements.
While the monetary value of the fines was relatively low, the whole affair was black mark that Tabcorp certainly could have done without. The company is in the midst of a rough patch that includes trouble with the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau, and some very disappointing revenue numbers.