SYDNEY – Entain is facing scrutiny in Australia after regulators alleged the company committed more than 500 breaches of the country’s national self‑exclusion program, though the gambling giant will avoid financial penalties because the violations fell outside the statutory enforcement window.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority said its multi‑year investigation found that Entain’s Ladbrokes and Neds brands allowed self‑excluded customers to open wagering accounts despite being registered with BetStop, the national self‑exclusion register launched in 2023.
Under BetStop rules, operators must close all accounts belonging to anyone who signs up for the program. ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said Entain’s systems failed to properly identify and link customer accounts across its platforms, including one account that remained active for more than a year after the customer self‑excluded.
Entain, one of the world’s largest gambling companies with a market capitalization of about $4.6 billion, owns Ladbrokes and Neds in Australia and holds a 50% stake in BetMGM in North America.
No fines issued
ACMA regulations allow fines of up to A$59,400 (US$43,020) per breach, meaning Entain could have faced more than A$29 million in penalties. But the agency said the statute of limitations had expired by the time investigators completed their review.
“Although this complex investigation took longer than we would have liked and financial penalties were not available to the ACMA, the court‑enforceable undertaking is a serious regulatory outcome,” the agency said. It added that failure to comply with the undertaking could result in court‑ordered penalties.
The regulator said it could not issue an infringement notice because that enforcement option was not available under the circumstances.
Growing focus on gambling harm
Australia has one of the highest per‑capita gambling rates in the world, and federal regulators have increased oversight in recent years in an effort to reduce gambling‑related harm.
BetStop, which launched in August 2023, allows Australians to block themselves from all legal gambling services nationwide. Nearly 60,000 people have enrolled in the program, with exclusion periods ranging from three months to a lifetime.
