Offshore iGaming Operators Exploit Australian Open

The Guardian reports that offshore iGaming operators, banned from serving Australian players, are actively using the Australian Open tennis tournament to promote their services.

Examples of Tournament-Based Promotions

For instance, the online casino Vegastars ran an Instagram giveaway offering front-row tickets to a night session of the tournament and a $350 flight voucher, using the Australian Open logo without permission from the organizers. Among the 2,500 users who commented on the post were Australian players.

At least three other unnamed operators used the tournament logo and photos of tennis players, while around ten more ran Australian Open-themed promotions online.

Regulatory Response and Site Blocking

A spokesperson for the regulator ACMA stated that Vegastars has been deemed an illegal operator, and a request will be made to block access to the site within Australia.

ACMA notes that site blocking is effective: since November 2019, 220 illegal services across 1,455 websites have been blocked in Australia.

Industry Perspective

The head of the industry body Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA), Kai Cantwell, said such activity can mislead players and create the impression that offshore platforms are legal.

He emphasized that the open use of the country’s biggest sporting events shows that enforcement measures are lagging behind the reality of the offshore market.

Alternative Measures

According to consumer advocate Lauren Levin, the offshore operator issue could be addressed by blocking payments to and from unlicensed providers, following models in Germany and Norway. This would allow regulators to focus on the local industry, which accounts for the majority of gambling losses.

Other Offshore Operators

The operator Rainbet used Australian influencer John Redman to promote live betting on Instagram, with the video viewed over 40,000 times. ACMA investigated and contacted Meta to remove the video. The clip was taken down two days after Guardian Australia reached out.

Gambling Statistics in Australia

According to Queensland Treasury estimates, Australians spent $254 billion on gambling in 2023–24, losing a net $32 billion across all local industries. Research commissioned by RWA showed that Australians placed approximately $3.9 billion online through offshore operators in 2024 and $7 billion locally during the same period.