Unibet fined for illegal online gambling ads

Trading as Unibet, Betchoice Corporation Pty Ltd, was recently convicted in New South Wales of posting gambling advertisements that were considered illegal in nature. Liquor & Gaming NSW investigated three advertisements by the company and found they were in violation of local regulations. The company was fined $48,000 for its actions.

Details of the Ruling

Darren Duke is the A/Compliance Director for NSW Liquor & Gaming. He stated that the Betting and Racing Act 1998 lists certain types of gambling advertising as an offense. Operators are not to offer ads that show an inducement to participate, or gamble frequently.

Duke pointed out that special or enhanced odds can entice players to open a betting account when they might not have to begin with. Such odds also have the ability to encourage players to gamble more often.

Unibet was found to be in violation of these advertising standards and on July 15, pled guilty to three charges. The regulator fined the company $16,000 per offense. The breach totaled $48,000 in fines and the company had to pay legal costs of $3,900.

The ads in question were published on Unibet’s website as well as in the Apple App Store in late November. Uniboost, Reboost, and Uplift products were listed in the advertisements, all of which are products that offer special or enhanced odds.

During the sentencing process, the Magistrate stated that Unibet had similar convictions in the past. The company was fined back in 2019 for breaches regarding betting laws. At that time, the company was forced to pay a $15,000 fine.

For now, Unibet can choose to pay the fine or appeal the sentence handed down by the Magistrate.

Meeting Advertising Standards

All around the world, regulators have standards in place when it comes to gambling advertising. The main goals are to promote responsible gambling and avoid catering to minors. When gambling companies break protocol and publish an illegal ad, regulators step in and see the ad removed. In most cases, a fine is issued to try and stop the operator from offering such content again.

In severe cases, an operator could lose their gaming license for offering illegal gambling ads. Regulators are serious about maintaining gaming rules and advertising plays a big role in the online casino and sports betting industries.

Over the past year, many areas of the world have decided to crack down on advertising, creating strict limitations or banning the ads altogether. Back in May, officials in Lithuania decided to approve legislation that stops online gambling operators from promoting or advertising services.

Online casino and sports betting companies have been prohibited from offering promotional campaigns or distributing offers via discounts or promotions. The change was made to help millions of people who are struggling with problem gambling.