The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found Dabble Sports responsible for 54 violations related to the regulation of BetStop self-exclusions. The regulator revealed that Dabble Sports failed to close 157 gambling accounts for users registered with BetStop, leading to marketing communications sent to those who were supposed to be excluded from gambling activities.
Additionally, ACMA reported that Dabble sent 839 electronic messages to 165 BetStop clients and issued over 2,000 messages to four individuals without disclosing their BetStop registration status.
As a consequence, the penalties against Dabble include two notices, with nine penalties totaling €107,000 (AU$178,000) for failing to close the accounts of self-excluded users. The remaining 45 penalties resulted in approximately €535,000 (AU$891,000) for the unauthorized electronic messaging directed at clients listed on BetStop. Overall, Dabble faces penalties exceeding €600,000 (AU$1.0 million).
ACMA found that 156 of the 229 accounts identified without pending bets belonged to BetStop clients just seven days after those users registered, with some accounts remaining unrecognized for as long as 200 days. The presence of inactive accounts highlights significant compliance issues.
The regulator previously raised concerns with Dabble regarding checks for inactive accounts back in August 2024, emphasizing that it was reasonable to conduct such checks at least once every seven days. Furthermore, ACMA pointed out deficiencies in Dabble’s marketing controls, particularly the vulnerability of automated suppression measures to manual overrides.
Carolyn Lidgerwood, an ACMA member, stated, "People who register with BetStop have made a clear decision to exclude themselves from online wagering. Providers must respect that decision by closing their accounts promptly and ensuring they are not targeted with gambling promotions. These were serious breaches by Dabble. Wagering providers must have robust systems in place to protect people who have chosen to self-exclude. BetStop is an important consumer protection measure, but it only works if wagering companies follow the rules. The ACMA will take action where wagering providers fail to meet their obligations."
In response to these penalties, Dabble has entered into enforceable undertakings with ACMA and agreed to undergo an independent audit of its BetStop compliance systems and processes. The audit will first assess the company's account closure procedures and marketing programs to ensure compliance with BetStop requirements. Following this evaluation, the auditor will provide Dabble and ACMA with recommendations. Dabble will then develop an action plan based on those recommendations, which will need board approval, and will designate compliance personnel to implement the necessary improvements.
