Back in November, the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) was given new powers. The powers allow them to order ISPs in Australia to block Australian online casinos. The initial ban started with blocks of both Fair Go Casino and Emu Casino.
Now the ACMA is expanding its ban list. According to recent reports, nine additional casinos have been added to the block list, bringing the total of blocked casinos to 11. However, there are a couple of things you can do it you find your online casino blocked.
Nine Casinos Added to ACMA Ban List
The ACMA has been busy targeting online casinos in Australia and recently added nine online casinos to their ban list. They’ve recently ordered that regional ISP providers block the following online casinos:
- Joe Fortune
- Ignition Casino
- Roo Casino
- GW Casino
- Casino Dingo
- Wager Beat
- Top Bet
- AU Slots
- XBet
According to the ACMA, citizens have made 79 complaints made against the casino on the list. They then conducted an investigation and found that they all violated the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001. As such, ISPs are receiving orders to block access. The ACMA has also issued warnings to individuals that play at these sites to immediately cash out their funds.
Over 90 Sites Have Quit Serving Australia Since 2017
Some of you may not be aware, but back in 2017, the Australian government effectively made online gambling illegal. It is illegal to operate an online casino in Australia. However, the law did little to stop offshore online casino gambling.
However, there have been approximately 90 online casinos and online poker rooms that have ceased operating in Australia. This number effectively increases to almost 100 with the blocks.
According to reports, the ACMA must conduct an investigation in each complaint they receive against an online casino. However, since the law clearly prohibits online gambling, it gives the ACMA an open invite to ban casinos they investigate.
What Can You Do If ACMA Has Your Casino Blocked
A question that we are beginning to receive often is how to play at Aussie online casinos if they are blocked. This is a valid question that becomes increasingly relevant with every block.
To understand what’s happening, the ACMA is forcing ISPs to block access to various online casinos. That does not mean the casino is shutting down, but rather that you cannot access it through your internet service provider. Switching providers may provide a workaround, but chances are the blocks will remains.
The best solution for getting around these blocks is to use a VPN service. VPN is an acronym for Virtual Private Network and provides a secure tunnel to bypass the ISP. Essentially, you connect to a VPN server and all internet surfing is done through that server.
Your ISP will only see that you’re connecting to a VPN server. The VPN provider controls the rules of which sites you can access. Most have few, if any, rules regarding which sites you can access. That means you can continue playing at your favorite online casino.
VPN Costs and Alternative Options
Regarding VPN costs, you can find both free and paid VPN solutions. Providers such as Windscribe offer a free plan with up to 10GB of data per month. For many players, this will be more than sufficient.
If you find you have high data usage needs, then you should consider purchasing a paid plan. Many providers have plans that run around $50 to $60 per year.
Another option you can explore is to start playing at online casinos that have yet to be blocked by the ACMA. You can find a list of reputable online casinos on our website. While some may be subject to the ACMA ban, not all are. As such, you can find another location to play.
Our best recommendation is to look into a VPN. It will provide you a way to consistently get around the ACMA bans while providing extra security for your internet connection.