Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court has fined Betchoice, trading as Unibet, AU$60,000 (€36,462) for advertising illegal gambling inducements to residents of New South Wales.
Following an investigation carried out by New South Wales Liquor & Gaming, Betchoice was found to have published advertisements which encouraged people to open a betting account through ‘price push’ offers. These are a form of boosted odds and advertising these offers in this way to attract new users is a breach of NSW gambling laws.
Liquor & Gaming NSW Executive Director Regulatory Operations & Enforcement, Jane Lin, said of the ads:
“Betting operators have an obligation to ensure that all advertising complies with NSW laws on gambling advertising. Inducements are known to increase the risk of gambling harm, so any breaches are taken seriously.
Betchoice has a record of previous convictions and was fined $48,000 in July 2021 for breaches of betting legislation. The advertisements the subject of this most recent case were designed to entice people to engage with gambling products using special or enhanced odds, which is a breach of the legislation.”
In court, lawyers for Betchoice pleaded guilty to two breaches and accepted the financial penalties of AU$30,000 (€18,231) per offence. The company was also ordered to pay the regulator’s costs for the investigation.
This is the second time in 2023 that NSW Liquor & Gaming has brought action against a betting firm for illegal promotions. In April, Betr was fined for 14 separate infringements with the fines totaling AU$210,000 (€128,100).
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.