The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has penalized the sports betting operator Betfair with a hefty fine of AUS$871,660 for significant breaches of the country’s long-standing spam laws.
The investigation found that between March and December 2024, Betfair had sent 148 unsolicited marketing emails and text messages to customers. These communications were sent to individuals who had either not consented to receive them or, in some cases, had explicitly withdrawn their consent.
The operator drew further criticism from the ACMA for failing to include a functional unsubscribe option in six of the messages sent to customers during the same period, a fundamental requirement of the Spam Act 2003.
The unsolicited marketing messages were reportedly targeted at VIP customers, offering promotional deals such as free tickets to events in an attempt to retain high-value players.
ACMA member Samantha Yorke showed little sympathy for the operator’s approach, particularly concerning the targeting of VIPs.
VIP programs are generally designed to attract and retain customers with high betting activity, however this doesn’t mean VIP customers are well off or can afford losses.
This penalty is the latest in a series of strict enforcement actions by the ACMA, which has demonstrated a zero-tolerance approach to compliance with spam and telemarketing regulations.
Over the past 18 months, the authority has collected over AUS16.6million in fines for similar infractions from various companies. This icludes are cent AUS4 million fine issued to Tabcorp in June 2025 for breaches on a much larger scale.
In addition to the financial penalty, Betfair has now entered into a two-year court-enforceable undertaking.
This program will require the operator to commission independent reviews of its marketing campaigns, implement comprehensive staff training on compliance, and conduct regular internal audits, reporting the findings directly to the ACMA.
