Why this page exists: We believe in transparency. Rather than silently excluding poor operators from our rankings, we explain exactly why certain bookmakers didn't make the cut. Every brand on this page was tested using the same methodology we apply to recommended sites.
CrownBet
Not Recommended · 4.6/5.0Why We Don't Recommend CrownBet
- Pleaded guilty to five counts of publishing illegal betting advertising with inducements (2016)
- Charged inactive account fees ($10/month) draining forgotten balances
- CrownBet/BetEasy was merged into Sportsbet (another blacklisted brand) by Flutter Entertainment
- Relaunched in 2026 under the CrownBet name with the same operators behind its troubled history
- Original parent Crown Resorts faced royal commission over money laundering failures
What Users Say
"They charge a $10 inactive account fee if you don't gamble. This is designed to quietly empty out accounts of people who have forgotten they have a balance, or to prevent people from taking gambling breaks."
- r/australia
"This is quite possibly a breach of Australian Consumer Law. Companies are not allowed to write contracts that are unfair to consumers."
- r/australia
"CrownBet pleaded guilty to five counts of breaching laws by publishing illegal betting advertising that offered inducements for NSW residents to gamble."
- Wikipedia (BetEasy)
CrownBet has a troubled history. In 2016 it pleaded guilty to five counts of illegal betting advertising offering inducements. The brand was renamed BetEasy, then absorbed into Sportsbet (itself on our blacklist) by Flutter Entertainment. It relaunched under the CrownBet name in 2026. Users reported predatory inactive account fees that drained balances. The original parent, Crown Resorts, faced a royal commission over systemic money laundering failures at its casinos.
Sportsbet
Not Recommended · 4.8/5.0Why We Don't Recommend Sportsbet
- Fined $2.5 million for spamming 37,000 customers who tried to unsubscribe
- Pressured ACMA watchdog into watering down enforcement action (ABC investigation)
- Aggressively limits and bans winning customers
- Predatory marketing targeting vulnerable users
- Trustpilot rating: 1.3/5 from 208 reviews
What Users Say
"Predatory advertising and predatory upselling which mostly affects low and middle income people is what riles people up against bookies."
- r/australia
"You sign up and then get sent a massive amount of spam. You ask to unsubscribe, but you keep on getting it from random scum betting companies that Sportsbet have given your details to."
- r/australia
"The apps are designed to hook kids, convincing them that gambling is a normal part of watching sport."
- r/australia
"Sportsbet pressured key watchdog into watering down enforcement action."
- ABC News via r/australia
"Sportsbet closed my account without paying my $8,060 balance."
- BitcoinTalk forum
Sportsbet (owned by Flutter/FanDuel parent company) has been fined a record $2.5 million by ACMA for spamming over 37,000 customers who had tried to unsubscribe, many of whom were experiencing gambling-related problems. An ABC investigation revealed Sportsbet pressured ACMA into softening its enforcement statement. Users consistently report predatory marketing, aggressive account limiting for winners, and poor customer service. We cannot recommend a bookmaker with this track record.
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