PointsBet fined $500,800 for spamming self-excluded gamblers
Australian bookmaker PointsBet has landed in hot water after being fined A$500,800 for breaching spam and self-exclusion laws, marking a significant moment in the country’s ongoing efforts to regulate online gambling.
The fine follows an investigation by the (ACMA), which found PointsBet guilty of sending hundreds of illegal marketing messages, including to individuals who had taken active steps to exclude themselves from betting.
ACMA finds “deeply concerning” breaches
The ACMA’s investigation revealed that PointsBet sent more than 800 unlawful spam messages, with over 500 of these targeting former customers who had registered with BetStop, Australia’s national self-exclusion register.
This tool, launched in August 2023, is designed to help vulnerable individuals remove themselves from the temptations of online gambling. The regulator described PointsBet’s actions as particularly egregious, given that these individuals had made a conscious decision to step away from betting.
ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin did not mince words, stating, “People signing up to the NSER are taking positive steps to remove online gambling from their lives. Their decision must not be compromised by companies like PointsBet.” She went on to call PointsBet’s breaches “deeply concerning” due to the active targeting of vulnerable former customers.
The authority’s report detailed that PointsBet committed 508 “recklessness” contraventions by spamming individuals, failed to close hundreds of wagering accounts as required, and neglected to promote the self-exclusion register to customers. The offences took place around the launch of BetStop and continued into November 2023.
Compliance overhaul and future consequences
As a result of the investigation, PointsBet has agreed to an 18-month enforceable undertaking with the ACMA. This includes a comprehensive internal audit of its compliance systems, a reform implementation plan, mandatory staff training on self-exclusion protocols, and regular written reports to the regulator every six months.
The company was also found to have delayed closing accounts of customers who had registered with BetStop, although the ACMA noted, “no excluded customers were able to place bets with PointsBet during the period investigated”.
Interestingly, the ACMA was unable to impose a direct financial penalty for the breaches related to the self-exclusion register due to the “complex and novel matters investigated.” Instead, the current fine relates to PointsBet’s breaches of spam regulations, such as sending marketing emails without an unsubscribe option and misclassifying promotional messages as non-commercial.
The ACMA warned, however, that “a failure to comply with an enforceable undertaking can lead to court-ordered financial penalties” in the future. Most of the offending emails contained direct links to betting products and failed to provide recipients with a way to opt out. PointsBet also sent seven marketing emails without recipient consent and 90 commercial texts that did not include sender contact information.
Takeover tensions and regulatory pressure
PointsBet finds itself at the centre of a takeover tug-of-war just as it faces fresh regulatory challenges. The company’s board has backed an offer from Japanese-owned MIXI Australia, although rival operator BlueBet has entered the race with a competing proposal of its own.
The board’s support for MIXI has reportedly caused frustration among some major shareholders, especially now that BlueBet has returned with an improved bid, prompting PointsBet to begin due diligence on the revised offer.
Meanwhile, the business is showing signs of financial progress. In its latest results, PointsBet posted a reduced net loss for the first half of the 2025 financial year, with revenue up and operating expenses down. Still, the combination of regulatory scrutiny and takeover uncertainty is likely to keep pressure on company leadership to rebuild confidence and demonstrate it’s taking compliance seriously.
As ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin put it, there are “no excuses for gambling companies that fail to understand their legal obligations.” The situation at PointsBet sends a clear message across the sector: meeting regulatory standards isn’t optional, especially when vulnerable players are at stake.
