BetStop compliance failures cost Dabble more than $1 million in fines
Wagering operator Dabble left 157 customer accounts open after the holders self-excluded and continued sending gambling messages, prompting a penalty and two years of external compliance oversight.
Dabble Sports has been fined $1,069,200 after an Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found the wagering operator failed to close 157 accounts when their holders registered with BetStop.
The company also sent 839 electronic messages to 165 self-excluded people by SMS, email and app push notification.
In a separate breach, more than 2,000 push notifications sent to 45 customers lacked the required information about BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register.
Following the investigation, Dabble accepted a two-year court-enforceable undertaking. The company must commission an independent review of its compliance systems and fund the implementation of recommended improvements.
If Dabble breaches the undertaking, the ACMA can apply to the courts to enforce its terms.
BetStop requires licensed wagering operators to close registered customers’ accounts as soon as practicable and stop sending them electronic marketing. Providers must also promote the register in marketing messages.
ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said Dabble’s breaches had the potential to cause harm to people who had taken steps to stop wagering.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
The action against Dabble follows several investigations into wagering operators’ compliance with the national register. In January, Tabcorp paid $112,680 and accepted a court-enforceable undertaking after the regulator examined BetStop breaches.
In May, Entain Group accepted an 18-month court-enforceable undertaking following more than 500 compliance failures across Ladbrokes and Neds, including accounts remaining open after customers self-excluded.
Dabble’s undertaking will remain in force for two years. It requires the company to commission an independent review of its compliance systems and invest in implementing the recommended improvements.
The current action therefore extends beyond the $1,069,200 payment, with Dabble’s systems and its response to the independent review remaining subject to a court-enforceable commitment. The ACMA can take the company to court if it breaches the undertaking.
The regulatory consequences are also set to increase. New laws commencing on January 1, 2027 will strengthen the BetStop framework and substantially increase the penalties available for breaches of the self-exclusion rules.
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