A number of licensed betting providers are believed to have breached self-exclusion rules, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
Australia’s independent Commonwealth statutory authority regulates communications and media services in the country and has just announced that it has conducted a number of investigations.
ACMA claims investigations revealed that Tabcorp, LightningBet, Betfocus, TempleBet, Picklebet and BetChamps “all failed to comply with the rules that protect people registered on BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register.
The ACMA found six betting providers in breach of gambling self-exclusion rules for failing to adequately identify and protect people who had self-excluded.
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– ACMA (@acmadotgov) January 29, 2026
They confirm that the facts of each investigation are different, but that the alleged violations in each include allowing registered persons to open betting accounts and access betting services, or marketing to registered persons.
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ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said in a press release that these breaches undermine the protections against gambling harms that self-exclusion offers: “The National Self-Exclusion Register is designed to help people who are trying to avoid gambling services and stop gambling, but self-exclusion only works if betting providers follow the rules.
“These rules have been in force for over two years and betting providers should take their responsibilities seriously.” She went on to explain how people who self-exclude from online and telephone gambling believe the system can protect them from the harms of gambling.
The authority says investigations found that providers failed to ensure their underlying systems and processes worked as intended and failed to adequately identify and protect people who had self-excluded. They say a number of enforcement tools were used following the findings.
For Betfocus, LightningBet and TempleBet, remedial instructions have been issued, meaning that providers will be required by law to commission an independent audit of their systems and implement any resulting recommendations. The ACMA states that failure to comply with these rules constitutes an offense and may result in civil penalties.
Tabcorp Holdings paid a $112,680 fine and agreed to enter into a court-enforceable undertaking that requires the company to commission a third-party review of its customer verification processes and train staff on its registry obligations.
BetChamps has received a formal warning and the ACMA is currently finalizing enforcement action for Picklebet.
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