Unibet has landed in trouble with Australian authorities over serious lapses in following self-exclusion rules. Betchoice Corporation Pty Ltd, which trades under the Unibet brand, failed to close nearly a thousand customer accounts even after those users had registered to self-exclude. That failure has now cost the operator over $1 million in penalties.
Good to know
- More than 100,000 breaches of gambling laws were identified.
- Some accounts stayed open for more than 190 days.
- One customer placed over 1,200 bets after self-exclusion ended.
The issue came to light following an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The authority found that 954 customer accounts were not closed as required after individuals signed up with BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register. Unibet’s inaction led to over 100,000 violations of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
In several cases, customer accounts remained open for months, even when those individuals had joined the register on day one. While no bets were made during their self-exclusion periods, ACMA made it clear that the accounts should have been shut down immediately under the rules.
Adding to the problem, 45 customers were allowed to place thousands of bets after their exclusion period had officially ended. Instead of requiring them to open new accounts, Unibet permitted the use of old ones that should have been permanently closed. One individual alone placed more than 1,200 bets this way.
Under Australian law, gambling providers must close existing accounts “as soon as practicable” once someone registers with the NSER. If they wish to resume betting later, they must create a brand-new account. Each day an old account remains active after registration counts as a separate breach.
Carolyn Lidgerwood, ACMA Member and Gambling Lead, did not hold back in her criticism. “The NSER rules are also there to ensure that people are making a clear and deliberate choice to recommence gambling. That is not the case if they can simply access old accounts,” she said. She also described the violations as “very serious” and unacceptable.
Although no bets were placed during the self-exclusion phase, ACMA warned operators that non-compliance would not be overlooked and could lead to fines or stronger enforcement actions.
To address the matter, Unibet has accepted a two-year court-enforceable undertaking. The company will undergo an independent audit of its compliance systems and apply any recommended changes. Unibet also agreed to refund customers who were able to use accounts that should have been closed.
The post Unibet Fined Over AUD1 Million for Failing to Close Self-Excluded Accounts appeared first on iGaming.org.