Australia targets fraudulent casinos deceiving people.

Australia has been intensifying efforts against overseas gambling operators, focusing on local influencers, and now aims to dismantle a harmful new operation targeting First Nations Australians.

The National Anti-Scam Center, part of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, has launched a new taskforce to combat scammers behind fake gambling sites that take customers' money without returning it. These scams operate by accepting deposits, then restricting players and blocking withdrawals, often demanding more money to release existing funds. ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe commented on this initiative, stating that the fusion cell’s efforts will shed light on how these scams function, their impact on Australians, the enabling factors, and potential ways to disrupt them. The creation of the taskforce is timely, as reports of such scams have risen, with 806 incidents filed in 2025, up from 677 the previous year. Losses in 2025 soared to AUD$1.6 million, triple the amount of AUD$449,000 in 2024. The taskforce will delve into the operations of these scams, their tactics for attracting victims, and how they persuade players to part with their money. Alarmingly, 45% of the reported losses were from individuals identifying as First Nations people, highlighting a targeted malice by these scammers. One issue Australians face is the absence of legal online casinos. Meanwhile, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is cracking down on unlicensed offshore casinos and sportsbooks, as well as influencers promoting these sites.