Australia
Tabcorp Fined $1M for Not Complying with VGCCC Directions
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined Tabcorp Wagering (VIC) Pty Ltd $1 million for not complying with two Commission directions issued during its investigation of Tabcorp’s major system outage in the 2020 Spring Racing Carnival.
The scale of the fine, the largest ever imposed by the Commission on Tabcorp, reflects Tabcorp’s repeated failure to comply with Commission directions to provide information concerning the outage, which left Tabcorp’s Wagering and Betting System (WBS) unavailable for approximately 36 hours.
Commission Chair Fran Thorn said Tabcorp’s conduct was unacceptable. “We will not tolerate licensees that are not forthcoming and cooperative when the Commission investigates.
“The Commission had to use its compulsory powers and issue directions because Tabcorp did not provide the information we required about the business continuity and disaster recovery capability of its systems. It is Tabcorp’s failure to comply with these directions that has led to the fine announced today.
“All entities we regulate — no matter how big or small — have an obligation to be open and honest with the Commission and responsive to its lawfully issued directions. We will not tolerate attempts to frustrate our investigations.”
On Saturday 7 November 2020, Tabcorp’s WBS suffered a major outage. There is an obligation under the Wagering and Betting Licence and Agreement for the WBS to be continuously available. As a result, the VGCCC’s predecessor – the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation – commenced investigating the outage.
The directions were issued after Tabcorp failed to voluntarily provide adequate information about the outage to the regulator. Tabcorp’s conduct during its dealings with the VGCCC over the course of the investigation and in response to the directions impacted the Commission’s ability to understand the cause of the major outage and gain confidence that it would not recur.
The Commission found Tabcorp did not comply with the first direction because it failed to produce a response that — in either form or substance — confirmed the WBS business continuity and disaster recovery arrangements established after the outage were “fit for purpose” to deliver the “continuously available” performance requirement. Tabcorp was found to have failed to comply with the second direction by submitting a compliant report four months after the deadline.
The maximum penalty for contravening Commission directions is $9,087,000.
Network Ten has been found in breach of broadcasting rules after airing gambling advertisements during the australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in March 2024.
An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found four gambling ads were aired at prohibited times during a broadcast of the first practice round of the Grand Prix.
Under the Commercial TV Code of Practice (the Code), gambling promotions cannot be shown during broadcasts of sporting events between 5am and 8.30pm, including the five minutes before and after the event.
Authority member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the rules around gambling advertisements on TV are there to protect the community from gambling related harms.
“Broadcasters should have strict controls in place to ensure compliance with the restrictions on gambling ads during sporting events,” Ms Lidgerwood said.
Practice rounds and qualifying rounds for motorsports are subject to the same restrictions on gambling advertising as the main event itself.
This is the first breach by Network 10 of the gambling advertising rules in the Code. During the investigation, Network 10 submitted that the broadcasts occurred due to human error.
Following the ACMA’s breach finding, Network 10 voluntarily improved the planning, checks and balances it has in place for ad scheduling and has, at the ACMA’s request, agreed to review its processes to introduce additional quality controls.
Network 10 will also train staff to avoid similar issues in the future and will provide a written progress report to the ACMA.
In a separate investigation in 2024, the ACMA found that streaming service 10 Play, provided by Network 10, breached online gambling advertising rules during two live-streamed sports events.
“The ACMA will closely monitor these actions and Network Ten’s compliance with the broadcasting and online gambling advertising rules,” Ms Lidgerwood said.
The post Network 10 Breaches Gambling Ad Rules During Formula 1 Grand Prix Broadcast appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Picklebet, an Australian-owned and operated digital wagering platform, has become the Official Wagering Partner of Penrith Panthers.
Damon Oudejans, CMO and Co-Founder of Picklebet, said: “We are incredibly excited to partner with the Penrith Panthers, a club that has set the benchmark for excellence both on and off the field.
“Picklebet and the Panthers share a passion for innovation, and a commitment to delivering premium experiences to fans. This partnership is more than just branding—it’s about creating engaging, digital-first activations that bring supporters closer to the game they love.”
To kick-start the partnership Picklebet is giving away the ultimate giveaway for two people for the opening game of the season in Las Vegas. The social competition ends at 12 pm AEDT on Monday 24 February and includes flights to Las Vegas, three nights’ accommodation, $5000 spending money and tickets to see the Panthers headline the Rugby League action at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Matt Cameron, CEO of Panthers Rugby League, said: “This partnership is a fantastic alignment between two brands that embrace innovation and excellence.
“Picklebet’s cutting-edge approach to digital wagering, particularly its focus on next-gen sports engagement, is an exciting fit for our club. We look forward to working together to create incredible experiences for Panthers fans over the next four years.”
As part of the partnership, Picklebet branding will be feature across Panthers’ assets, including digital platforms, in-stadium activations and exclusive fan engagement initiatives. Picklebet will also leverage its expertise in digital and social engagement to introduce new ways for fans to interact with the game and their team like never before.
The post Picklebet Becomes Official Wagering Partner of Penrith Panthers appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has requested the Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block more illegal online gambling and affiliate-marketing websites, after investigations found these services to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
The latest sites blocked include JokaRoom, AUDPokies888, Aura Play, Instant Casino, Leon, Rich Papa, UUSpin and Wild Pokies.
Website blocking is one of a range of enforcement options to protect Australians against illegal online gambling. Since the ACMA made its first blocking request in November 2019, 1154 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked.
Around 220 illegal services have also pulled out of the Australian market since the ACMA started enforcing new illegal online gambling rules in 2017.
The post ACMA Blocks More Illegal Gambling Websites appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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