Best Bookies’ Price has ceased offering a betting odds comparison service in Australia after being issued a formal warning by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) over unlicensed activities.
ACMA reprimanded Best Bookies after ruling its comparison service breached national gambling laws in Australia. Best Bookies allowed users to compare odds across licensed operators and place bets with those operators on their behalf.
This, ACMA says, met the definition of a “gambling service” in the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA).
Best Bookies has certain authorisations from the relevant state-based regulator. However, it does not hold the required wagering licence to provide interactive gambling services under the IGA.
ACMA ruled the Best Bookies service was offered in contravention of the IGA. As such, it was deemed an unlicensed regulated interactive gambling offering, leading to the warning.
“We strongly encourage people who wish to bet online to do so with a licensed wagering operator, so they can benefit from the consumer protection regime,” ACMA said. “A list of licensed wagering operators can be found at Check if a gambling operator is legal.
“ACMA also encourages licensed wagering operators to carefully scrutinise any arrangements they have or wish to put in place to use third-party provider services to assure themselves that using those services will not compromise their ability to meet their legal obligations, including those set out in the IGA.”
Best Bookies ceased providing this service shortly after receiving the warning.
ACMA continues to block unlicensed sites
Best Bookies is the latest business to feel the wrath of ACMA over unlicensed activities in Australia.
Last month, ACMA made blocking requests against five further websites. Viperspin, Just Casino, Betandplay, Play Fina and Comic Play Casino were all found to be operating illegally in the country.
As such, ACMA asked Australian internet service providers to block access to each of the sites.
The latest round of blockings means 835 gambling and affiliate sites have now been blocked in Australia. In addition, 215 illegal services have exited the country since ACMA began enforcing new illegal offshore gambling rules in 2017.
