Regulatory body issues warnings to two online gambling platforms based in Curacao

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has taken a firm stance against unlicensed gambling companies, blocking over 1,100 websites deemed to be in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA).

In late 2024, the ACMA issued warnings against two Curacao-based companies, Luster N.V. and Dama N.V., accusing them of providing unlicensed forms of gambling, specifically online games of chance, to local Australian players. The name of the last company blocked by ACMA since November 2019 is not found in the provided search results.

Luster N.V., as a provider of the Eddy Vegas service, has contravened customers physically present in Australia. Similarly, Dama N.V. has been targeted over several companies, including Rebellion Casino, MoonWin, Lucky Friends, Golden Star Casino, N1 Bet, and SpinsUP.

The 'gambling services' offered by these companies, which include casino-style games of chance or mixed chance and skill, played for money, are in contravention of paragraph (e) of the definition of 'gambling service' in section 4 of the IGA. The ACMA's block list includes such companies, making it very difficult for these companies to target Australian citizens.

The IGA effectively prohibits iGaming operations on the territory of the country. In Australia, only land-based casino-style gaming is allowed. The ACMA's efforts to block these websites are part of a broader crackdown against unlicensed gambling companies.

While the ACMA has not yet stated any penalties or actions taken against these companies at this time, it is worth noting that 220 companies withdrew after receiving a warning from the ACMA, requiring no further enforcement action.

The ACMA started blocking offenders in November 2019. One specific brand operated by Luster N.V., Eddy Vegas, has been named in the warning. The warnings issued by the ACMA against these companies were made in late 2024 and appeared on the regulator's websites on January 2, 2025.

The ACMA's actions against these companies are not limited to Luster N.V. and Dama N.V., but include a broader range of companies. The ACMA's website block list makes it very difficult for these companies to target Australian citizens, marking a significant step in the regulation of online gambling in Australia.

Regulatory body issues warnings to two online gambling platforms based in Curacao