The Australian Media and Communications Authority (ACMA) has initiated measures against a pair of foreign lottery platforms operating illicitly within the nation, directing internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict user access.
These platforms, identified as “Aicai” and “Redfox Lotto,” represent the inaugural lottery sites to be subject to blocking mandates in Australia. The ACMA inquiry disclosed that these sites were providing online lottery entries for prominent international lotteries without the necessary authorization within Australia, thereby contravening the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001.
“Both Aicai and Redfox Lotto are functioning unlawfully in Australia, signifying that individuals utilizing their services lack consumer safeguards,” stated ACMA representative Fiona Cameron.
“Implementing blocks on illegal offshore websites aids in shielding Australians from potentially dubious operators, where recourse is limited or nonexistent if issues arise. Lottery services that are licensed and operating legitimately within Australia have crucial protections in place to safeguard consumers.”
Although these constitute the first lottery services to be blocked, the ACMA has been actively working to block unauthorized offshore casino-type gambling websites since November 2019. A recent study emphasized the efficacy of these endeavors, indicating that blocking actions undertaken by the ACMA against 55 services during the 2020/21 fiscal year yielded a substantial reduction in Australian traffic to those services, diminishing it by a minimum of 90%.
“We are highly satisfied with this outcome, which demonstrates that our efforts to disrupt illicit online gambling within Australia are yielding a favorable impact,” Ms. Cameron further remarked.