Sportsbet fined $135K for breaching gambling ad rules

Sportsbet has been fined a further $135,000 for breaching NSW legislation covering advertising of gambling.

The online gambling company was found to be in breach of advertising restrictions under the Betting and Racing Act 1998 following investigations by Liquor & Gaming NSW.

Under the legislation, it is an offence to publish a gambling advertisement that offers any inducement to take part, or take part frequently, in any gambling activity, including an inducement to open a betting account. It is also an offence to provide gambling advertisements directly after the betting account holder has withdrawn consent to receive such advertisements.

During court action initiated by Liquor & Gaming NSW, the Downing Centre Local Court found that Sportsbet had sent gambling ads via emails to account holders who had withdrawn their consent to receive direct marketing between October 2020 and October 2021.

The court also heard that in November 2020, an audit of Sportsbet’s social media accounts — Facebook, Instagram and Twitter — found prohibited gambling ads.

This is the second fine meted out to Sportsbet this year for breaching the advertising restrictions, following a $22,000 fine issued by the same court in March.

Liquor & Gaming NSW Compliance Director Marcel Savary said some gambling companies continue to break gambling advertising laws despite the agency’s enforcement activities.

“So far this year Liquor & Gaming NSW have started more than double the number of prosecutions compared to last year with 119 different counts of breaching the provisions brought against 14 operators, up from 31 counts against seven operators in 2020,” he said.

“Research by the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling in 2020 revealed the vast majority of the community is not happy with the current style of wagering advertising, with 81% believing gambling advertising increases the risk of people developing a gambling problem.”

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