ACMA Illegal Gambling Crackdown Hits 1,751 Sites Blocked

Australia’s communications regulator has blocked another 12 illegal gambling domains, pushing its running total past a fresh milestone. ACMA confirmed the latest enforcement action under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The targeted sites were operating without valid licences. Several were also offering prohibited products, including online casino games of chance. For anyone tracking ACMA illegal gambling enforcement, the numbers keep climbing.

1,751 Sites and Counting

Since ACMA launched its blocking program, the regulator has suspended 1,751 illegal gambling and affiliate websites in total. That figure includes a number of suppliers pulled into the enforcement net as well. More than 230 services have also chosen to leave the Australian market voluntarily, exiting before a formal blocking order could land.

Among the domains named in this round are 7Signs, Chromabet, Donbet, Duospin, and Freshbet. Slots Gem, Jacks Club, and Lucky Start are also on the list, along with several others. ACMA confirms a breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 before acting, then directs internet service providers to cut off access. The process is consistent, but operators have found a reliable way around it.

The Mirror Site Problem

Blocking a domain does not shut an operator down. When ACMA targets a site, the operator typically spins up a replacement under a new domain and keeps going. Players find their way to the new address through search results, forums, or affiliate links. The blocked domain becomes a minor inconvenience rather than a genuine barrier.

This turns enforcement into a slow, reactive cycle. ACMA must identify the mirror, investigate it, and restart the blocking process from scratch. Operators can stand up a new site in hours. The regulator, working through formal procedures, takes considerably longer. It is a gap the current ACMA illegal gambling framework has not closed, and new mirror sites tend to appear almost immediately after a block goes live.

ACMA Goes After Influencers

Rather than waiting for a legislative fix, ACMA has widened the scope of its campaign. The regulator has started pursuing individuals inside Australia who help illegal operators reach local players. That effort has focused specifically on social media influencers who promote unlicensed platforms.

The logic is direct. When domain blocking keeps cycling, cutting off the marketing pipeline is another lever. Influencers drive real traffic to illegal sites. ACMA now treats promotion of unlicensed platforms as part of the broader ACMA illegal gambling problem, not a secondary issue. The goal is to make it less commercially attractive for online personalities to take money from operators that have no legal right to serve Australians.

What Australian Players Should Know

The scale of this enforcement program sends a clear message: a large number of platforms are simply off-limits. The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 defines which products are permitted and which are not. Online casino games of chance fall outside what the law allows. Some of the latest sites were blocked over the specific products they offered, not just for lacking a licence.

Using an unlicensed site comes with real risks. There is no regulated complaints process, no assurance that games run fairly, and no way to demand a payout if a withdrawal is refused. ACMA illegal gambling enforcement exists because those risks land on real players. The regulator publishes a register of authorised wagering providers, which is the quickest way to confirm a site is legal before depositing any money.

Twelve more domains are now blocked, and the list is not done growing. ACMA shows no sign of slowing down either.