Major betting agency fined again for repeated breaches
One of Australia’s largest gambling companies has been fined multimillion dollars for breaching spam and telemarketing laws.
Tabcorp Holdings Limited has been fined $2.7 million for making thousands of illegal telemarketing calls over a 16-month period.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority found the betting agency made nearly 4000 calls without identifying itself or the purpose of the call.
Approximately 350 calls were made to numbers on the Do Not Call register and approximately 80 outside permitted hours.
TAB also admitted to sending more than 217,000 emails and text messages to customers who had opted out of marketing email lists.
Authority member Samantha Yorke said Tabcorp’s behavior was unacceptable given the recent breaches and ongoing risks associated with gambling advertising.
“The scale and scope of these breaches point to serious weaknesses in TAB’s compliance systems,” Ms Yorke said.
“ACMA expects TAB to resolve these issues and we will monitor it closely to ensure it meets its obligations.”
Ms Yorke said the TAB should respect the wishes of those who opted for a Do Not Call Register.
“ACMA expects TAB to resolve these issues and we will monitor it closely to ensure it meets its obligations,” he said.
In addition to financial penalties, TAB also faces a court-enforceable undertaking requiring an independent investigation into telemarketing systems and the submission of regular compliance reports.
This is the second fine issued by the communications watchdog over Tabcorp’s telemarketing and spam practices.
The betting company faces a $4 million fine and a three-year court-enforceable commitment in 2024 for breaching Australian spam laws.
TAB faces a fine of over $250,000 in 2026 for offering illegal betting and ignoring self-exclusion rules.
This comes after the federal government outlined efforts to reduce the negative effects of gambling by restricting advertising in venues, broadcasts and online platforms.
Strengthening laws on telemarketing and spam material were not included in the government’s proposed reforms.
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