Australian sports betting company Betr has been fined by Liquor and Gaming NSW for breaching gambling regulations during its launch in 2022.
According to a statement issued by the state regulator, Betr ran several ads offering odds of 100-1 and 20-1 on events such as NRL and AFL matches, and the Melbourne Cup. The ads ran during the brand’s launch in October 2022. However, the regulator ruled that the ads broke state regulations on gambling promotions.
“These advertisements breached NSW laws prohibiting the advertisement of any offer of an inducement to participate in a gambling activity, including an inducement to open a betting account or bet more frequently.”
As a result of the investigation, Betr has been fined for 14 separate infringements. The fines total AU$210,000 (€128,100) which is the largest fine issued in NSW for promoting restricted gambling inducements.
In the statement, executive director of regulatory operations and enforcement at Liquor and Gaming NSW, Jane Lin, said:
“This company tried to attract a new customer base and establish a significant market share with promotions that we consider crossed the line, using inducements that had the potential to cause harm to the community. In many cases, such promotions can only be legally offered to betting account holders who, unlike the general public, have made a conscious decision to open an account and receive this information.
Wagering operators can legally advertise their products in a variety of ways but they can’t advertise or promote inducements such as offers of enhanced odds or bonus bets to entice people to open a betting account.”
This is the latest in a string of penalties issued to gambling companies in New South Wales. In March of 2023, bookmaker SportChamps was fined AU$40,000 (€24,400) for posting illegal gambling ads online.
This brings the total fines for 2023 to more than £42.8 million (€48.3 million).
According to industry fines tracker website GamblingIndustryFines.com, gambling industry fines in 2022 came to €251,712,034 / $269,532,490 – a significant increase of 443.9% compared to 2021’s total of €44,753,969 / $48,642,992.
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.