Entain, bet365, and Sportsbet have breached Australia’s in-play betting regulations, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has ruled.
Australia’s Interactive Gambling Act prohibits in-play betting on sports matches with only a few exceptions, including when betting over the phone.
However, this exception mandates that all information regarding the bet selection, type, amount, and confirmation must be relayed by the customer solely through the phone call.
An ACMA investigation between September 2022 and September 2023 found that this was not the case at Entain-owned brands Ladbrokes and Neds, as well as at bet365 and Sportsbet.
The issue with fast codes
Via the investigation, the operators above were found to have utilised fast/quick codes to facilitate in-play betting.
The codes were generated when customers constructed an in-play wager via the operators’ websites or apps, encapsulating details like the event, bet selection, and type.
When customers called in to place their bets, they quoted the codes along with the bet amount and confirmed the bet.
The ACMA ruled that the customers’ selection of in-play betting events online violated the regulation that specifically requires the exclusive communication of betting details via phone.
Systems changed
In response to the ACMA investigation, the operators restructured their systems to align with the stipulated gambling rules.
Fast/quick codes will now be generated before sporting events start, and will be unrelated to specific customer bets.
Instead, the codes will be generic and the same for all customers.
In view of the steps taken, the ACMA has decided not to take any further enforcement action at this time.
However, this incident isn’t the first time operators have been flagged for breaching Australia’s in-play betting rules.
In April, the watchdog imposed a A$13,320 infringement notice on Entain for accepting illegal online in-play bets during the Bangkok LIV Golf tournament in October 2022.
