The Australian Communications and Media Authority has issued more than $5.4 million in penalties to wagering companies over the past 12 months, with Tabcorp absorbing the single biggest hit. The crackdown spans two related compliance areas: unauthorised marketing under the Spam Act and failure to check the BetStop self-exclusion register before opening accounts or sending promotional messages.
The Enforcement Scorecard
Tabcorp has paid the lion's share of penalties. A record $4.1 million fine in April 2025 covered thousands of SMS and WhatsApp messages sent to VIP customers without functional opt-out mechanisms or proper sender identification. In January 2026, Tabcorp paid a further $112,680 and entered a court-enforceable undertaking for BetStop-related failures, including allowing self-excluded individuals to open accounts and receive direct marketing.
Betfair Pty Limited was fined $871,660 in mid-2025 for similar VIP marketing consent failures. PointsBet was fined $500,800 for self-exclusion breaches and broken unsubscribe links before its business was acquired. Smaller operators Betfocus, LightningBet and TempleBet were issued remedial directions requiring independent audits. BetChamps received a formal warning, while enforcement action against Picklebet remains under finalisation.
Why These Breaches Matter
BetStop was established in August 2023 to let Australians self-exclude from every licensed online gambling operator in a single step. By late 2025 the register had surpassed 60,000 registrations. The scheme only works if operators check it before opening accounts and before sending marketing material. ACMA's investigations found some operators were allowing new accounts to open minutes after a customer had self-excluded, while others continued to send promotional messages long after registration.
Spam Act breaches are a related issue. Under Australian law, marketing SMS and email messages must include a functional unsubscribe link and identify the sender clearly. VIP programs and loyalty segments are not exempt. ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood was blunt in her assessment: "Gambling companies must have effective systems in place to ensure self-excluded people cannot gamble with them." Full details of the investigations are published on the ACMA website.
What This Means for Punters
If you have registered with BetStop and continue to receive marketing from a licensed operator, you can report the breach directly to ACMA. These reports are taken seriously and have led to formal enforcement action in multiple cases. For punters who have not self-excluded, the broader signal is that ACMA is willing to use its enforcement powers, and that further breaches during the remainder of 2026 will likely trigger stronger penalties. Operators that have already received remedial directions face civil court action if they fail to comply with the required audits. Expect tighter onboarding and marketing consent processes across the industry through the rest of the year.