The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced that it has issued a formal warning to Feral Holdings Limited following gambling services being made available on its CS:GO Roll website.
According to the release, an ACMA investigation discovered that CS:GO Roll was providing ‘casino-style online games’. CS:GO Roll was found to have allowed users to deposit ‘skins’ from the video game Counter Strike: Global Offensive in exchange for in-game coins. These coins could then be used to gamble on casino games through the website. Any winnings would then be paid out in the form of skins which the ACMA determined could be construed as monetary prizes as these skins can be exchanged for money on third party websites.
The ACMA deemed that this was a clear breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
Speaking of the investigation’s findings, ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said:
“Providing casino-style games online is prohibited in Australia when playing for money or something of value, whether that’s Australian dollars, cryptocurrency or in this case, online gaming skins. Skins gambling services are particularly concerning as they tap into a youth market and have the potential to convert gamers into gamblers.”
As a result of the investigation, Feral Holdings has been issued with a formal warning for breaching Australian gambling laws.
Following the decision, the CS:GO Roll website has been withdrawn from the Australian market.
CS:GO Roll was in the spotlight earlier this month following the release of a promotional video by G2 Esports featuring a young player who had just turned 18 gambling in a casino. The video was released to mark a new partnership deal between the skins gambling site and G2 Esports.
ACMA blocks illegal gambling websites
The ACMA has also announced that it has requested that Australian internet service providers (ISPs) place a block on three more illegal international gambling websites.
The latest sites blocked include:
- Vave
- Highway Casino
- Online Casinos Australia
According to the latest ACMA block list, there are now 747 illegal gambling and affiliate websites currently blocked by local ISPs. The ACMA first started requesting that ISPs block illegal gambling websites in November 2019.
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.