CrownBet found guilty of illegal advertising
Australian operator convicted in New South Wales of five counts of breaking the state's Betting and Racing Regulation 2012 act
Australian bookie CrownBet has been convicted for breaking New South Wales’ (NSW) gambling advertising rules and forced to pay more than AU$20,000 (?11,000) in fines and legal costs.
The Melbourne-based operator was last week prosecuted by the Liquor and Gaming NSW department and found guilty of five offences for publishing illegal betting advertising on its website to NSW residents.
NSW’s regulations prohibit operators from conducting any advertising deemed to incentivise state residents to participate in gambling activity, including opening a new account.
The advertisements on CrownBet.com.au included a range of sign-up and bonus offers such as: ‘5,000 reasons to love the 2015 AFL grand final. Enjoy $5,000 bonus points on us’.
CrownBet, which last year changed its name from BetEasy, pleaded guilty to all five counts and was ordered by Magistrate Joanne Keogh to pay $10,500 in fines and $10,000 in legal costs to Liqour & Gaming NSW.
Keogh said she hoped the fines would act as a deterrence to other operators in the future following previous prosecutions earlier this year of Unibet and bet365.