The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found several operators, including Entain's Ladbrokes and Neds, bet365, and Sportsbet, guilty of breaching gambling laws. The authority stated that these operators employed "quick codes" to facilitate in-play betting on sports matches, contravening established international rules for betting companies.
The ACMA emphasized that the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 explicitly prohibits in-game betting. The only exception is telephone betting, where the bookmaker operator must engage the client in a call to confirm the type of game audibly.
Following the investigation, all three operators took corrective measures to ensure their use of quick codes aligns with the law. They agreed to generate these codes only before the commencement of a sporting event, irrespective of whether customers intend to use them. ACMA opted not to impose penalties on the operators.
