ACMA Blocks 18 More Australian Online Casinos
We have kept you up to date regarding the ACMA’s quest to block all online casinos in Australia. The ACMA has blocked access to dozens of sites to date and on Thursday they have announced its latest list of blocked casinos.
This new list of casinos shows that the organization is expanding its reach regarding online casinos. Several of our preferred partners have been added to this list as well.
ACMA Blocks 18 More Sites
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has moved forward with new ISP blocks of online casinos. This time, the company has added 18 separate rooms to its list.
ACMA to Block 18 More Illegal Gambling Websites https://t.co/Aebv26dtxd
— European Gaming Media (@EU_Gaming_Media) February 19, 2021
Here’s a complete list of online casinos being added to the ACMA’s block list:
- 7 Bit Casino
- Bet Chain
- BitStarz
- Casino Nic
- Fast Pay Casino
- Get Slots
- Golden Star Casino
- Gunsbet
- ILucki
- Joka VIP Room
- Joo Casino
- King Billy Casino
- King Johnnie
- Loki Casino
- Spinago
- Syndicate Casino
- Wild Card City
- Woo Casino
You’ll notice that this list includes BitStarz, 7 Bit Casino, and Loki Casino. All three are popular for being Bitcoin online casinos. The spike in activity surrounding Bitcoin has caught the attention of everyone around the globe. It was just a matter of time before the ACMA decided that they would try and block access to these casinos.
Also, you’ll notice that several of our premier partners are now on the block list. This is not surprising as all casinos that service Aussie players are subject to being blocked.
Why Is the ACMA Blocking Casinos?
If you are somewhat new to Australian online gambling, you might be a bit concerned that these sites and others have been blocked. One would assume that it means that those sites are scamming players.
The ACMA claims that they’ve received “numerous complaints about these services” and conducted an investigation. They then found that the sites violate the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. If you are looking at it in a technical legal stance, the ACMA is correct.
ACMA will block a number of gambling sites. Not sure how the classification of illegal is being determined. https://t.co/JYBXmf1xi8
— techAU (@techAU) February 18, 2021
However, what does that mean? The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 makes all online gambling not authorized by the government illegal. There’s one problem here. The government has yet to authorize online casinos or online poker rooms in Australia. Even Crown Resorts is cannot offer online casino games or online poker in Australia.
As such, all online casinos violate the IGA. It doesn’t matter whether the sites are legal, have licenses in other localities, and have a stellar track record. If they do not hold a license by the Aussie government, they are subject to a block.
What Can You Do If Your Site is On the Block List?
If a website is put on the ACMA’s block list, ISPs in Australia must block access to the website. That does not mean that the companies are blocking your access. From here, you have a couple of alternatives.
The first is that you can do as the ACMA suggests and withdraw your funds. You should have no problems withdrawing your funds. If there are any restrictions in place, such as you’re still playing on an online casino bonus, contact customer service and let them know that the ACMA is blocking access soon to the site.
Your next option is to move to an online casino that’s not being on the ACMA block list. This will allow you to continue playing. Note that there is a good chance that most sites will eventually end up on the block list, so this is merely a stopgap measure.
Finally, you can take the option of signing up for a VPN service to continue playing. VPN will allow you to bypass any blocks put in place by the ACMA and continue playing. There are free and paid VPN services available.
The option you choose is up to you and your comfort level. Just be aware that until the Australian government regulates online gambling, this will be an ongoing issue.