Australian media regulator requests to block lottery sites for the first time

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced Wednesday it will request Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block two illegal offshore lottery websites: We Love Lotto and Red Fox Lotto. 

As published in the Authority’s official website, member Fiona Cameron said the two domains will be the first lottery sites blocked in the country after ACMA investigations found they offer tickets in major overseas online lotteries, and are not licensed in Australia, which is prohibited under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.

Cameron referred to these two websites’ operations as illegal and said there are “no consumer safeguards in place for players”.

“Blocking illegal offshore sites protects Australians from potentially dodgy operators, where there is little or no recourse if things go wrong. Lottery services that are licensed in Australia and operating legally have important safeguards that consumers expect”, Cameron explained. 

While these are the first lottery services to be blocked, the ACMA has been requesting ISPs block illegal casino-style gambling sites since November 2019.

A report published on Wednesday shows that in the 2020–21 financial year the ACMA targeted 55 services for site blocking, resulting in a majority experiencing a drop in Australian visitors of at least 90%.

“We are very pleased with the outcome and it shows that the steps we are taking to combat illegal online gambling in Australia have had a positive impact” Cameron said.

Information about how consumers can protect themselves from illegal gambling operators is available on the ACMA website.