iGamingExpert

ACMA investigates Entain for inactivity warning emails

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is reportedly investigating Entain Australia & New Zealand after the operator allegedly sent emails sent to inactive customers warning them to place a bet or risk monthly inactivity fees.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Ladbrokes Australia brand also failed to disclose the customer’s legal right to close their account through the government’s self-exclusion website, BetStop, and have their money returned.

This is just the latest in Entain’s Australian troubles, after the operator recently entered into a court-enforceable undertaking after more than 500 breaches of national self-exclusion rules were discovered as part of a separate ACMA investigation.

The Sydney Morning Herald stated that Entain ‘sends the emails to customers who have been dormant for 18 months, warning them it will begin charging a $5 a month fee for holding their money’.

The report added that the ACMA confirmed it was reviewing to see if the ema..

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Entain to implement ‘meaningful’ self-exclusion enhancements in Australia

Entain Australia & New Zealand is working with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) after the body discovered more than 500 breaches of national self-exclusion rules in Australia.

As a result, the Ladbrokes and Neds operator entered into a court-enforceable undertaking following an ACMA investigation.

The ACMA found that Entain had:

Opened accounts and provided wagering to people registered with BetStop.

Opened new accounts for individuals registered with BetStop.

Failed to adequately promote BetStop in customer texts and emails.

As a result, the ACMA has accepted a comprehensive 18-month court-enforceable undertaking from Entain, as the company will commit to an independent review of its compliance systems and processes and implement any recommended improvements.

An Entain Australia spokesperson said: “We take all our regulatory responsibilities seriously. These matters arose during the early stages of a new national system, and we have worked constructiv..

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‘To save youth from destruction’, Bangladesh vows no leniency for illegal gambling

Politicians in Bangladesh have vowed to launch a nationwide crackdown on gambling and online betting, emphasising that coordinated action is looming for the sector.

Action will begin following the closure of the country’s parliament on 30 April, with assertions made by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, who promised a ‘zero tolerance’ policy on gambling, alongside drug use, in response to concerns raised by Zainul Abdin Farroque, parliamentary member for the Noakhali-2 constituency.

“To save the youth from destruction, the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy,” said Ahmed, who promised that law enforcement agencies will conduct coordinated operations to dismantle networks linked to drugs and gambling.

Most forms of gambling remain illegal in Bangladesh under the Public Gaming Act of 1867, meaning online gambling operates in a grey area with no local regulation.

Ahmed’s call to arms over curtailing online gambling comes despite Bangladesh last year passing the Cyber Security..

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Has the Maryland sweepstakes bill fallen short? 

The momentum behind the Maryland sweepstakes bill has seemingly dwindled, as the State’s legislative sessions ended without a formal conclusion to the bill’s passing.

There were two key opportunities for the prohibition of dual-currency sweepstakes, with the House of Delegates passing two separate bills in 2026 that would have outlawed dual-currency sweepstakes.

Lack of progress around the bill was celebrated by the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA), as they claimed that there had been ‘false allegations’ driven by casino interests.

“We are pleased with this result in Maryland and want to thank the Maryland lawmakers who took the time to thoroughly consider this issue,” said SGLA Managing Director Sean Ostrow.

“Over multiple hearings and dozens of meetings, SGLA addressed false allegations by casino interests by demonstrating that the Social Plus industry already offers strong consumer protections and contributes to Maryland’s economy, while pushing back against efforts ..

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EU ruling delivers Malta fresh setback against foreign challenges of iGaming licences 

Fears that the door could be opened for an influx of players seeking to reclaim losses from Maltese operators have been intensified following the latest ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

The CJEU has aligned with the view that contracts between players residing in Germany and operators that aren’t licensed in the country are essentially void.

Long-standing legal conflicts between Malta and the member states of Germany and Austria over a myriad of compensation claims has escalated over the past decade, requiring the determination of the Attorney General of the CJEU.

In a preliminary ruling requested by the First Hall of the Civic Court in Malta, the EU court outlined that players could be entitled to claim back losses from operators not licensed in the country. The European Court deemed that Article 56 TFEU – an EU law concerning restrictions on the provision of unrestricted services – does not supersede national laws related to online gambling disputes..

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Mafia Casino among websites blocked by Australian watchdog

Australia’s communications watchdog has blocked a slew of websites operating outside the country’s licensed market, including the imaginatively named Mafia Casino.

In total, 19 online gambling platforms and affiliate sites have been blocked by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), as an unyielding approach is taken by Australian officials to unlicensed operators.

The latest sites blocked are: Bass Bet, BetWhale, CasinOK, Cleobetra, Diva Spin, FatPirate, Free Spinz, Gransino, JackBit, Legiano, Mafia Casino, Magius, Monster Win, NewLucky, Nonbetstop.com, Slotexo, Talismania, Tiki Casino and Vegas Hero.

The agency stated: “The ACMA is reminding consumers that even if a service looks legitimate, it’s unlikely to have important customer protections. This means Australians who use illegal gambling services risk losing their money.”

Blocking a myriad of websites is a tough challenge for regulators, as it leads to a whack-a-mole style predicament with operators rebrand..

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GamCare to reduce gap between harm and help with OHID funds

GamCare believes the over £4m it has provisionally been awarded from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) VCSE Gambling Harms Prevention and Resilience Fund will help the charity ‘reduce the gap between harm and help for thousands’.

The charity will implement two dedicated programmes with the 2026-2028 funding: a community outreach service and specialist support for people who have been affected by someone else’s gambling. Both programmes are expected to be delivered from April 2026, subject to confirmation.

Supported by the prevention strand of the statutory levy on gambling operators, OHID has recently allocated £25.4m to 33 voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations that provide gambling harm support across England.

Victoria Corbishley, Chief Executive Officer of GamCare, commented: “This provisional award, once confirmed, would help us to reduce the gap between harm and help for thousands of people across England.

“Whether someone is strugglin..

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Skill On Net criticised by ASA for pistachios Instagram advert

Skill On Net has been criticised by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for a paid-for Instagram advertisement involving a stand-up comedian talking about pistachios.

An advert for the white label casino brand Gecko Play showcased the comedian, who was not named, performing a set on stage in which they said: “Gambling is really like eating pistachios, if you get a good pistachio, you want another good one, if you get a bad one, you want a good one even more,” receiving a laugh from the audience.

A GambleAware logo and an 18+ sign were featured at the bottom of the video, next to text which stated, “Gambling can be addictive please play responsibly” and #AD in the bottom right-hand corner.

The ASA stated that two complainants challenged whether the ad encouraged socially irresponsible gambling behaviour.

Skill On Net argued that the similarities made between gambling and pistachios were ‘intended as light-hearted, observational humour regarding the variability and unpredictabi..

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Dutch regulator slams Unibet for customer due diligence violation

Unibet has been criticised in the Netherlands for violating the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act (Wwft).

Optdeck Service Limited, which operates the FDJ United brand in the market, has been issued an AML/CFT directive from the Dutch gaming authority Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) after an investigation found that customer due diligence was ‘not being performed well enough’.

The KSA noted that transaction monitoring and control measures don’t align well with Unibet’s policy in practice and that it must adjust its policy to make the monitoring of players and their transactions more effective.

In particular, the regulator highlighted that policy adjustments are needed regarding financial thresholds.

With the directive, Unibet has been told by the KSA that it must cease the various violations. However, the regulator spotlighted that the operator had ‘a cooperative attitude and proactively worked on a remediation plan’, with some violations stopped during th..

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Portugal unveils new look self-exclusion platform

Portugal’s gaming regulator is aiming to simplify the self-exclusion process as it embarks on a system overhaul and a new user experience.

Launched by the Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ) yesterday (8 April), players and non-players will be able to use the platform to self-exclude from all licensed online gaming operators in Portugal.

According to the regulator, the new system features a ‘simpler and more intuitive interface’ to allow for quicker and more efficient self-exclusion requests, and has also been optimised for mobile devices.

SRIJ stated: “With this new platform, SRIJ reinforces the quality of its digital services and the effectiveness of the gambling control mechanisms available to players.”

Players can self-exclude for a specific period of time, with a minimum period of three months or indefinitely.

Portugal’s gaming market has grown to 17 licensed operators since the regulation began in 2015. In Q4 2025, the market generated €337.6m, growth of 4.5% co..

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